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Today’s evidence that we are nearing the future comes from MIT and Harvard, where researchers are working to develop the ultimate reconfigurable robot — one that can turn into absolutely anything. Studded with magnets and electronic muscles known as actuators, their prototype robot can automatically fold itself into an airplane or an origami boat.

…Today’s evidence that we are nearing the future comes from MIT and Harvard, where researchers are working to develop the ultimate reconfigurable robot one that can turn into absolutely anything. Studded with magnets and electronic muscles known as actuators, their prototype robot can automatically fold itself into an airplane or an origami boat. From MIT:

The researchers have developed algorithms that, given a three-dimensional shape, can determine how to reproduce it by folding a sheet of semi-rigid material with a distinctive pattern of flexible creases. To test out their theories, they built a prototype that can automatically assume the shape of either an origami boat or a paper airplane when it receives different electrical signals.

The research was born out of work by Professor Daniela Rus, who directs the Distributed Robotics Laboratory at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL). One of the lab’s big foci is…

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Is Self-Folding Origami the 1st Step to Real Transformers?

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Here are more unique and historic traditional boats from the different parts of the world.

…Reed Boat: Titicaca Lake

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This uniquely-designed and and peculiar-looking watercraft is a sturdy reed boat of the Uros Islands. It can hold more than 20 people.
Bangka: Philippines

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Outrigger canoes are very popular in coastal areas of the Philippines. As an archipelago, these vessels are the most practical means of communication and transportation in the country. Outrigger canoe is known in the Philippines as Bangka. It is a type of canoe featuring one or more lateral support floats known as outriggers, which are fastened to one or both sides of the main hull. When we went to the Hundred Islands in the province of Pangasinan, I was able to experienced riding this type of a boat.
Waka: New Zealand

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Waka is a unique and beautifully designed Maori watercraft. It sizes range from small to large and can be as long as 40 meters long used for fishing and for transportation. Large decorated war Wakas can be as long as 40 meters. Large double-hulled canoes were also…

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Unique and Historic Traditional Boats From Around The World

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