A Robotic Octopus Would Surely Be Captain Nemo's Worst Nightmare
When
designing robots it only makes sense to occasionally take a peek at
what Mother Nature has already come up with for surviving and navigating
our planet. But do robotics researchers have to keep choosing the
world's most creepiest animals for inspiration? Does anyone really want
to live in a world with unstoppable robot snakes or artificial octopi lurking in our oceans?
That
hasn't stopped researchers from the Institute of Computer Science,
Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas in Heraklion, Greece from
finding a way to perfectly mimic the graceful way an Octopus uses its
tentacles to move through the water.
The
latest version of this creation now has flexible silicone webbing
between its artificial tentacles that helps propel the creation at
speeds of up to 0.04 miles per hour. Not exactly lightning fast just
yet, but the research could help lead to revolutionary new ways to
propel boats or submarines, particularly if they allow those crafts to
move through the water as stealthily as an octopus or squid does—even if
they're not lurking 20,000 leagues under the sea.
I think we have enough of the real ones we don't need artificial ones.
ReplyDelete