Core Insights - A new type of robot system developed by a research team at Columbia University can achieve physical "growth," self-healing, and self-improvement by absorbing materials from the surrounding environment or other robot components [1] Group 1 - Current robots typically have a closed structure and lack the ability to grow, self-repair, or adapt to their environment [1] - The innovation, referred to as "robotic metabolism," represents a significant step towards creating self-sustaining robotic ecosystems [1] - This development opens up new directions for the future of autonomous machines [1]