'M-blocks, Roll Out!'
A team from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) created modular robots to show a hive-like coordination. The M-blocks are capable of climbing on each other, jumping through the air or rolling across the ground to connect and build new structures.
Seven years after the first iteration shown back in 2013, these robotic cubes are now able to ‘communicate’ and identify each other through a barcode-like system featured on each face of the block. They attach to one another using the permanent magnets on their faces. These 16 blocks are capable of performing simple tasks such as forming a line, following arrows, tracking light, and travelling down a path of arrows.

The cube on the left is displaying the interior and the cube on the left is showing the exterior. Image Credit: Google
Each M-block is fitted with a flywheel that moves at 20,000 revolutions per minute (RPM), using angular momentum when the flywheel is braked. Each module can move in four cardinal directions when placed on any of its six faces, which results in 24 different movement directions. Without any little arms and appendages sticking out of the blocks, it’s a lot easier for them to avoid any damage or collisions.
The team envisions that these cubes can be used eventually for disaster responses for instance, creating escape stairs for a burning building. But beyond this, researchers imagine using the blocks for things such as gaming, manufacturing, and health care.
M stands for motion, magnet, and magic. ‘Motion’, because the cubes can move by jumping. ‘Magnet,’ because the cubes can connect to other cubes using magnets, and once connected they can move together and connect to assemble structures. ‘Magic,’ because we don’t see any moving parts, and the cube appears to be driven by magic.
While the mechanism is quite intricate on the inside, the outside is the opposite allowing for more robust connections. Essentially, these blocks use the configuration of how they’re connected to each other which enables them to guide the direction they choose to move in. In MIT’s experiments, 90 percent of the blocks succeed in getting into line.
The cubes that were created moved using something called ‘inertial forces,’ primarily meaning that instead of using moving arms to change position and connect the structures, the blocks had a mass inside of them allowing them to ‘throw’ its weight against the side of the module causing the block to rotate and move.
The unique thing about our approach is that it’s expensive, robust, and potentially easier to scale to a million modules,
The team noted that building out the electronics was challenging especially with the notion of fitting intricate hardware inside such a small package. However, researchers hope to create more practical structures in the future, especially for disaster relief.