Squishy robot creation through AI advancement

It has become something of a cliché in recent months for AI researchers and engineers to assert their limited comprehension of how advanced new artificial intelligence models arrive at their conclusions. In the realm of creating walking robots from the ground up, at least one innovative AI model presents unconventional and distinct ideas that deviate from the conventional approach to evolution.

Northwestern University researchers recently tasked an AI model with a seemingly basic directive: "Design a walking robot." In a fraction of time, the algorithm yielded designs for an unorthodox, squishy, rectangular robot, adorned in an unusual shade of purple. This robot maneuvers by way of peculiar "legs" and the utilization of air. Sam Kriegman, the associate professor guiding the algorithm, emphasizes that this walking robot is entirely distinct, presenting a form unlike any creature that has ever roamed the Earth.

With time, the AI independently recognized the advantages of incorporating leg-like attributes for mobility, even in the absence of explicit guidance from the researchers. The AI's final design served as the basis for creating a silicone mold via 3D printing, facilitating real-world testing. A video demonstration effectively portrays the robot's leg-like components expanding and contracting as air is introduced. While it may not be poised for Olympic accolades, this adaptable creation exhibits the capability to take several steps forward.

Among the AI-generated robots, perhaps the most intriguing aspects are the design choices that baffle even its human creators. While the inclusion of legs is intuitive, the robot also exhibits a seemingly arbitrary array of punched holes across its structure. The researchers initially could not discern the purpose of these holes, but their attempts to remove them resulted in a noticeable impairment of the robot's walking capabilities. Furthermore, the AI-designed robot's unconventional shape and texture set it apart from tools previously crafted by human engineers. This distinctive design decision, as highlighted in the paper, may prompt future robot designers to reevaluate their assumptions regarding the most efficient shapes for achieving a specific task.

Kriegman offered his perspective: "While some may regard this robot as a seemingly impractical contraption, I envision it as the genesis of an entirely novel life form."

Naturally, AI's unconventional and unorthodox creations don't elicit enthusiasm from everyone. Hayao Miyazaki, the revered Studio Ghibli founder celebrated for masterpieces such as Spirited Away, publicly expressed his "disgust" at the depiction of a humanoid figure walking in a manner presented by an AI video generator during a 2016 demonstration. In that instance, AI directed a dismembered animated zombie to utilize its head for locomotion.

Miyazaki expressed his deep conviction, remarking, "I am firm in my belief that this amounts to an affront to the very essence of life."

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