Where robotics and modelling begin to meet

Is this where robotics and modelling finally meet? - the dynamic self model.

source:
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/1116/2
http://ccsl.mae.cornell.edu/research/selfmodels

At first, this robotic starfish is quite "unaware" of its own shape. After flailing its arms for a while, however, the robot gets a dymic reflection of itself via sensors. After such "introspection" the robots gets a sense of its own design and begins to walk.

Then engineers remove a part of its leg. Now, the starfish robot re-senses it's own shape and detects a change in its structure. Reevaluates its own abilities and begins walking in a different way to compensate.

The demonstration is the first proof that a robot can generate a conception of itself and then adapt to damage, a handy skill to have in environments of uncertainty.

YouTube - robot generates a conception of itself