Robot swarms: scientists work to harness the power of the insect world

The hive mentality is inspiring the latest advances in technology and the US military is already experimenting with swarms of robotic boats and aircrafts

Armies of robots are already here - they're mostly just very small.

As robotics advances, scientists continue to take cues from the natural world, whether it's by building robots out of material from animals, like cloned rat muscle or jellyfish matter, or building them in imitation of dogs or cats. And now, those scientists are learning to simulate intelligence by imitating a swarm.