Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists have figured out a way to allow robots to move and assemble themselves using cleverly placed permanent magnets, according to National Monitor.

What is unique about these robots called M-Blocks is they do not actually consist of external moving parts, but rather rely on permanent magnets to configure themselves, MIT said on its site. The cubes are equipped with face magnets and edge magnets, which interact with other M-Blocks and allow the robots to stack on top of each other. The edge magnets located on the blocks function to allow the robots to become closer to one another as well as get them to rotate. Since the edge is tapered, this forms a strong bond between cubes to keep them attached while the face magnets serve to align the magnets.

Surprising even the researchers, they discovered that the cubes can actually jump. They said it is rare for modular robots to move in the way M-Blocks do as the cubes can jump through the air and even propel themselves on top of of another block.

"It's one of these things that the [modular-robotics] community has been trying to do for a long time," said Daniela Rus, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. "We just needed a creative insight and somebody who was passionate enough to keep coming at it – despite being discouraged."

Future applications for self-moving robots
Currently, the blocks work through the commands researchers send to robots using a wireless connection. The researchers faced a variety of challenges, including how to fit all components into a small box and simplify the design, which meant no extra moving parts, in order for the blocks to move independently. The robots do not have to be in a certain position to move because the magnets and flywheel within their bodies do the work.

"There's a point in time when the cube is essentially flying through the air," postdoctoral Kyle Gilpin said. "And you are depending on the magnets to bring it into alignment when it lands. That's something that's totally unique to this system."

In the future, scientists hope this technology will advance by letting the cubes decide how to configure into a shape on their own after putting algorithms in the robots themselves. Researchers believe M-Blocks can be have a variety of applications including having the robots turn themselves into a chair, ladder or desk on command.