In the syntetic creature project each group should design, build and program one or more syntetic creatures out of LEGO. Furthermore, an environment should be designed and build where the syntetic creatures can live. This environment should contain elements that the creatures can react to, e.g. light sources. Construction of syntetic creatures has a long history ( e.g. Sigvar Strandh: The history of the Machine (Dorset Press, New York, 1979) ). A famous mechanical creature is the duck by Jacques de Vaucanson (1709-82). Inspiration for the syntetic creature project can be found e.g. on:

• An introduction to and further material on W. Grey Walter and his Machina Speculatrix and Valentino Braitenberg's Vehicles

• Notes on construction of Braitenberg's Vehicles, Chapter 1-5 of Braitenbergs book
  

The idea of nano robots e.g. in medicine may also be used as an inspiration in the syntetic creature project:

• Nanomedicine Art Gallery, Complete Exhibit List

• Other Sites with Nanotechnology-Related Images

At the end of the project, each creature should be given a name, pictured and described as the different nano robots in the Art Gallery.