WHAT’S NEW

ANTS Patent Information

The information on this website concerning the synthetic skeletal muscular system (SSMS), the synthetic neural system (SNS) and the stability algorithm for neural entities (SANE) are all patent protected intellectual property of the U.S. Government. (Read more)

TET Warfighter     April 4, 2008

Soldier TET Emerges

The TET modular architecture allows for field assembly, man-portability, and scalability.

TET miniturization also makes it useful for reconnaissance in urban settings.

(Click image to enlarge)

 

 

NY Times Article Excerpt

...Steven Curtis designing a more ambitious rover. It does not have wheels. Instead, it looks like a shape-changing jungle gym, with trusses that lengthen and shorten. A simple prototype has been built.

Computer animations illustrate its possibilities. Across flat terrain, it would roll like tumbleweed.

Read entire article.

Latest Presentation

If you try to build a synthetic neural system, how do you know whether the behaviour of the resulting artificial intelligence will be stable? Or for that matter what are the stability criteria for even natural neural systems such as yourself? See the new presentation by Steve Curtis for a discussion of SANE, the basis for the quantitative analysis of psychological stability, as well as for a discussion of the SSMS and of the SNS.
ANTS as an Architectural Pathway to Artificial Life (PDF) - Steven Curtis (April 2008)

 

THE 12-TET

The 12-Tet Rover is one of ANTS' biggest current projects. It is 12 tetrahedrons made of 26 struts (thin, extendable, metal rods) that will roam all over Mars' complex terrain. Unlike the current wheeled rovers, it will be autonomous, so it will not require instruction from a whole team of scientists to complete a simple task. It will recognize obstacles and figure out how to get around them. It has a huge advantage over wheeled rovers because it does not require flat ground to operate properly. Rather than use wheels, it extends its struts and tumbles forward. It is a complicated type of movement to explain, and is best demonstrated in video on the right. Check it out!

WHAT IS ANTS TECHNOLOGY?

ANTS is an acronym for Autonomous Nano-Technology Swarm. ANTS technology builds on and advances recent trends in robotics, artificial intelligence, and materials processing to minimize costs and maximize effectiveness of space operations.

WHAT IS A TETRAHEDRON?

A tetrahedron is a pyramid with three sides and a base. The tetrahedral pyramid shape is a fundamentally stable structure and the simplest space-filling solid.

HOW DOES A TETRAHEDRON ENGAGE IN LOCOMOTION?

The short answer is by moving the center of mass in a direction just off to the side of a target in the direction of a tetrahedral side until the tetrahedron tips over in that direction, and then moving the center of mass in the direction of an adjacent tetrahedral side just off to the other side of the target until the tetrahedron tips over in the other direction. The center of mass is moved off-center by lengthening and tilting above ground struts in the direction of alternating adjacent sides, creating a flip/flop motion.