he concept of swarm robots is not new, but this innovation has the potential to make them cheap and easy to mass produce. The web was abuzz today with this announcement:

Japan, a long recognized leader in the field of robotics, and especially those that may replace the aging workforce, has established a strong collaboration with the European robotics community. A conference took place last March organized by the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). The conference was held in Japan, and was "targeted at young researchers actively working in the fields of cognitive science and robotics."

Originating in response to the DARPA Grand Challenge for unmanned vehicles, this software was originally the invention of students at the University of Florida (2006):

Serial entrepreneur and AI expert Ben Goertzel reflects on the future of science in China, and the comparative fortunes of China and the U.S.: