Autonomous AI Robot Creates a Shock-Absorbing Shape No Human Ever Could [Video]

An autonomous robot created a shock-absorbing shape no human ever could. Learn what it means for designing safer helmets, packaging, car bumpers, and more.

Within the confines of a lab in Boston University’s College of Engineering, a robot arm drops small, plastic objects into a box precisely placed on the floor to catch them as they fall. One by one, these tiny object—feather-light, cylindrical pieces, no bigger than an inch tall—fill the box. Some are blue, others red, purple, green, or black.

Each of these structures is the result of an experiment in robot autonomy. Operating independently and adapting through ongoing learning, the robot is on a quest to create the most efficient energy-absorbing shape to ever exist.

The Process of Innovation

To do this, the robot creates a small plastic structure with a 3D printer, records its shape and size, moves it to a flat metal surface—and then crushes it with a pressure …