The little robot, with great adaptability, which is inspired by insects and which has all these surprising features.
There are more and more small robots that are inspired by insects, and the researchers consider that these organisms have a lot of versatility, capable of going through practically any area and solving a lot of problems.
And now, a team of engineers from the University of Colorado have created a miniature robot called CLARIshort for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect, capable of altering its shape to sneak into tight spaces.
It’s about a robot smaller than the palm of a hand and lighter than a ping pong ball and best of all, it can change its physique from a square to a narrow and elongated shape, allowing it to pass through very tight areas.
“CLARI’s ability to passively adapt to his environment makes him an ideal candidate for roles we haven’t even thought of yet,” he says. Heiko KabutzPhD candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
It is a modular robot by design with great flexibility that allows a wide range of adjustments, even more legs could be added. “The modular design opens up a world of possibilities, making it a versatile tool with a variety of applications,” Kabutz added.
At the moment this preliminary version of the robot is still tethered to cables that provide power and basic command inputs.
Progress is expected for the little robot
But the idea of the research team is that it can roam autonomously in a future version: “CLARI is in the early stages, but the goal is to create robots that can venture into spaces where no mechanical entity has gone before, such as the interior jet engines or under the rubble of collapsed buildings,” says assistant professor Kaushik Jayaramco-author of the study.
The great thing about the CLARI is that you can change its width from 34mm to 21mm, allowing for a wide range of movement and adaptability.
They also plan to add sensors to help the robot detect and avoid obstacles autonomously.
“Imagine a robot that can traverse uneven natural terrain, bounce off obstacles like blades of grass, or crawl through cracks in rocks. That is the future we aspire to,” Kabutz said.