New York, United States - July 17, 2025 Scientists at Columbia University have introduced a groundbreaking process that allows robots to physically grow, heal, and improve themselves by integrating parts from their environment or from other robots. Called "Robot Metabolism," this method enables machines to absorb and reuse components, marking a significant step toward self-sustaining robot ecologies. Lead researcher Philippe Martin Wyder explained, “True autonomy means robots must not only think for themselves but also physically sustain themselves. Just as biological life absorbs and integrates resources, these robots grow, adapt, and repair using materials from their environment or from other robots.” The innovation was demonstrated using the Truss Link, a modular robotic unit inspired by the Geomag toy. These bar-shaped modules with magnetic connectors can self-assemble into complex two- and three-dimensional shapes. One example showed a tetrahedron-shaped robot adding an extra link it used like a walking stick, increasing its downhill speed by more than 66.5%. Hod Lipson, co-author and professor at Columbia, noted, “Robot bodies today are monolithic and unrecyclable, unlike biological bodies that grow, heal, and adapt by reusing modules. Robots must learn to use and reuse parts from other robots. This emerging field is ‘machine metabolism.’” Researchers envision future robot ecologies where machines independently maintain, grow, and adapt to unforeseen tasks and environments. Wyder added, “Robot Metabolism allows AI to advance not only cognitively but physically. Initially, these systems will be used in disaster recovery and space exploration, but ultimately, AI might build physical structures or robots as easily as it arranges words in an email.” Lipson concluded with caution: “The image of self-reproducing robots conjures some bad sci-fi scenarios. But as we hand off more of our lives to robots, they must learn to take care of themselves — including by consuming other robots.”