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Magic Bots: Vine-Inspired Robots Can Grow on Demand
livescience.com ^ | July 21, 2017 03:08pm ET | Charles Q. Choi

Posted on 07/22/2017 12:15:41 PM PDT by BenLurkin

Robots that mimic ivy vines can grow thousands of times their original lengths at speeds faster than the average person can run, a new study finds.

The new soft, flexible robots could one day be used in tight situations, such as to slither through rubble or snake inside the human body...

The newly developed robot is made of soft, flexible polyethylene, the most common plastic in the world. It grows from its tip via internal air pressure, which pushes plastic tubing stored at its base up through the core of its body. The robot is initially about 11 inches (28 cm) long, but can rapidly reach a maximum length of about 236 feet (72 meters), according to the researchers.

"The body doesn't move as the tip extends," Hawkes told Live Science. "That is, you could hold the body of the robot tightly in your hands, and the tip would keep growing."

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: koalaoil; molassesmiasma; monkeyfacerules; penguinhumor
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So on my way home from work around 0340 this morning I had a truck with tandem trailers try to run me off the road in the snow.
Unfortunately for him, I’m not from this area and do know how to drive in snow.
So when he began merging into me without signaling with his lead trailer next to me, I was mildly irritated about it.
He kicked it up to 65 on the highway after failing to cause an accident.
If there is justice in this life, one can only hope that he eventually wiped out.


4,661 posted on 01/17/2018 4:15:49 PM PST by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
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To: ArGee

Late evening ArGee. Hope your day was one of greatness and joy


4,662 posted on 01/17/2018 6:03:47 PM PST by no-to-illegals (..There is no difference between liberals/rinos/moslems/illegals/lamestream media ...)
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To: Darksheare
Know any millennials? Tell them about the cotton candy. It's cheaper than Tide pods.. ;-)


4,663 posted on 01/17/2018 8:32:00 PM PST by NoCmpromiz (John 14:6 is a non-pluralistic comment.)
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To: ArGee; fanfan; ColdOne; Cyber Liberty; null and void; Tax-chick; Anoreth; Monkey Face; ...

4,664 posted on 01/18/2018 3:07:32 AM PST by Tax-chick ("It's the end of the world as we know it ... if the sky is falling, I don't want to be below it.")
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To: Tax-chick

Those kittehs look so warm and floofy.

Me. Want.


4,665 posted on 01/18/2018 3:51:25 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Monkey Face

Maine Coon kittens. They live in San Francisco.


4,666 posted on 01/18/2018 3:59:35 AM PST by Tax-chick ("It's the end of the world as we know it ... if the sky is falling, I don't want to be below it.")
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To: Monkey Face

Maine Coon kittens. They live in San Francisco.


4,667 posted on 01/18/2018 3:59:35 AM PST by Tax-chick ("It's the end of the world as we know it ... if the sky is falling, I don't want to be below it.")
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To: Tax-chick

Yep. I figured the Maine Coon by the floof on the gray one.

Make me want to feel it!


4,668 posted on 01/18/2018 4:47:54 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Tax-chick; ArGee; NicknamedBob; NoCmpromiz; HKMk23; SunkenCiv; Darksheare; moose07; ...

Something to tickle your funny bone in an “Ah! NOW I get it,” moment:

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3623470/posts


4,669 posted on 01/18/2018 4:50:26 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Monkey Face

Hugging cats is rarely as enjoyable as one thinks it should be.


4,670 posted on 01/18/2018 5:00:39 AM PST by Tax-chick ("It's the end of the world as we know it ... if the sky is falling, I don't want to be below it.")
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To: Monkey Face

I’ve said the same thing myself: they’re all in it together.


4,671 posted on 01/18/2018 5:01:27 AM PST by Tax-chick ("It's the end of the world as we know it ... if the sky is falling, I don't want to be below it.")
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To: no-to-illegals

All was good except the still looking for a contract thing.

Yours?


4,672 posted on 01/18/2018 6:11:52 AM PST by ArGee (What do you do when psychosis is not just acceptable but legally mandated?)
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To: Tax-chick

Cat-hugging should actually mean the action on the part of the cat because they generally don’t like being the “hugee,” preferring instead to be the hugger.

As in, you will be hugged when I want you to be.


4,673 posted on 01/18/2018 6:33:41 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Tax-chick

Zeke was here earlier, and I feel slightly used. I think his original purpose for the visit was to get me to compose and print a letter, but I told him the printer was dead, and he had “other things” to complain about.

He was sure the cluster mailbox was “ours,” as in the property’s but if that were so, then all the mail would be delivered to the office to be distributed by someone in management.

In other news, various car dealerships in Henderson’s Valley Auto Mall have been sponsoring and reciting, the Pledge of Allegiance every morning on the local FOX News channel. Each morning, it’s a different dealership. I like it!


4,674 posted on 01/18/2018 6:43:04 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Monkey Face

The Non-OSHA-Compliant Lawn Service is here with blowers for the leaves and a mower that mulches them down to pinkie-fingernail-size, and NONE of the workers have ear, eye or nose-mouth protection. That’s scary.

Three of the security lights have been “fixed” to the point that they are “on” (if you light a match to make sure) but the rest of them along this sidewalk are still out.

Since I put in a multi-subject complaint, I’m expecting Casey to send me a letter informing me of “an interview,” and I will make it a point to let Eddie the Attorney know so he can come with me. Any appointment would be in retaliation, since I already had my yearly recertification appointment.


4,675 posted on 01/18/2018 10:02:39 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Monkey Face

Hmpf. NV doesn’t offer “Mature Driving classes.”

So I’ll have to wait for payday and do it online through AAA.

My brain is fried today.


4,676 posted on 01/18/2018 10:46:21 AM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: Monkey Face

Afternoon! I was kind of poorly this morning and lay about on the sofa, occasionally visited by cats. The right side of my head felt very strange. Eventually, I perked up and wrote a letter to my mother-in-law. Then I went to Walmart.


4,677 posted on 01/18/2018 1:04:06 PM PST by Tax-chick ("It's the end of the world as we know it ... if the sky is falling, I don't want to be below it.")
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To: Monkey Face
Hmpf. NV doesn’t offer “Mature Driving classes.”

You'd think they would. From what I remember last time I was out there they offer plenty of immature driving classes.

4,678 posted on 01/18/2018 1:46:21 PM PST by ArGee (What do you do when psychosis is not just acceptable but legally mandated?)
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To: Tax-chick

Maybe you should visit your doctor to see if there is something going on with the right side of your head. It could be something a little on the serious side. Like maybe a TIA...(I’ve had three of those while in my 40’s, so this is scary. Have it checked, please!)

Speaking of mothers, how is yours doing? Is the antibiotic regimen helping?

I finally cooked up the country ribs in the crock pot and I will have to write to the crock pot company. The lid part has had a problem with the screw for the handle continually coming loose during the cooking cycle since the first meal I cooked in it. Today was the last straw. I went to lift the lid and the handle came off in my hand, even though I had tightened it a couple of hours earlier.

As I dished up some ribs to take to Charlie, I was hoping that the screw for the handle fell to the bottom of the pot and into the pot liner, rather than being a “floatie” and ending up in Charlie’s plate.

Dang. I’m really hoping this thing that encompasses moving doesn’t produce any more things that need to be replaced. I keep ticking them off on my fingers, and I’m seeing, desk, file cabinet, printer, office chair, crock pot and not to be replaced but purchased, a 60 qt cooler. Jiminy Cricket!

I can’t afford to replace all that stuff! Just moving in will cost close to $1000 with the deposits for the apartment, the utilities, the cable/internet, the first month’s rent and insurance. Not to mention the rental car to go there and take possession, the truck/tow dolly deposit and rental and ...and ...and ....

*sigh*

No wonder I’m having a hard time functioning...


4,679 posted on 01/18/2018 2:26:28 PM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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To: ArGee
...they offer plenty of immature driving classes.

Probably because there are so many immature people on the roads at any given time. We probably lead the nation in road rage incidents. Jus' sayin'.

4,680 posted on 01/18/2018 2:33:20 PM PST by Monkey Face (You choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. ~~ Gary Oldman)
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