Robot: structure like a cockroach. New development. (video included)

New Robots Could Assist in Earthquake Search and Rescue

Video and Article

Earthquake rescues could be made safer and faster with a new robot being developed at UC Berkeley. The search for a safer way to enter collapsed structures has led to a mechanical cockroach. This robot could one day assist in post-earthquake search and rescue.

"In very mass quantities, you could think about making tens of thousands of them. Because, if you can save the rescuers from being endangered and find the survivors, having disposable robots is really worthwhile," said Fearing.

The secret sauce is not the electronics though, it's the structure to run like a cockroach, even to climb obstacles. The manufacturing process was pioneered by Cal engineering students. Using a laser cutter, Birkmeyer can design and make a new robot in an hour out of cardboard. Made out of cardboard, it can survive a fall from a 10-story building.

"You can throw it potentially from any height. It can hit concrete and survive and run away," said Birkmeyer. It can run away at five feet per second via remote control. Holding one isn't like holding a robot, it's like holding a bird.

This technology could potentially save countless lives for very little cost.

I do like this reference though...

"Tom Selleck's character battled similar creatures in "Runaway", a 1984 film that was pure science fiction. Today's is even better than the one in the movie."

As always, there is a potential downside, I suppose.



Runaway - Wiki

Related Article

ed: fix link

[edit on 20-1-2010 by LadySkadi]

DASH - Resilient High Speed 16 gram Hexapedal Robot

This thing would possibly be deadlier than an M1 Abrams if made to the same size. This would scuttle to death, everything in its path while blasting with various armament, whereas a tank uses it's cannon and can drive through walls, yet still gets stuck in mud sometimes.

A giant roach would have dual pillars for feet/legs, when on gets blown off, the second one shoots out from higher up the leg to replace it.

thank you for posting this.

Makes me want to buy a laser cutter and make some dash prototypes myself.

These little robots seem quite versatile.
...and Fast!
I would think they could be adapted for almost any needed purpose.

Anyone know who Robert Full is? He is a biologist who is trying to implement aspects of nature into robotics. One of the designs was actually a roach bot. I like the way his works better though. It's not as clumsy.

Here is the video where he talks about animal movement. Courtesy of Ted.com (my favorite lecture resource)

Robert Full on Animal Movement

reply to post by DaMod
Thank you for the link, very interesting.

It does make great sense to study animals/and/or other living creatures and try to copy or adapt the characteristics with robotics. These machines will be expected to operate in similar environments and what better way to go about trying to ensure efficiency than to study those creatures already living/prospering in the environment?

reply to post by LadySkadi


Lol, I just realized that I am a bit behind and I have actually never seen that particular video before. I didn't even know it existed until I saw this thread and mistook it for another past lecture. I obviously had to watch it. His previous roach used something like hammers to simulate the movement and actually looked exactly like a roach moving across the ground (and over debris). Lets see if I can find the one I meant to post .

Gotta admit though, that new video is pretty kick ass.

Robert Full on Engineering and Evolution

I think you will like this one as well.

Sorry about the mispost, but I'll leave it there because it is interesting.

Here you go Lady....

The real Roach-Bot is in the house.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/17f6e2725710.jpg[/atsimg]
Robo-roaches give robot armies new reproductive prowess

We give robots all the credit for being our one day overlords, but if you base world domination potential on who is busting out the babies, we'd have to go with cockroaches. So we're really not too surprised to see them both joining forces to create a super being: the Robot Zombie Cockroach. A research team at Tokyo University is making these bio-bots by lopping off the antennae of regular roaches and replacing them with pulse-emitting electrodes.