Robots are pretty cool, right? Whether you’re nestled under your foil hat hoping they were wrong about an extraterrestrial takeover or you can’t wait to see what robots have in store for us in the future, it can be tough to ignore the incredible leaps they have made over the years.
An Unusual Look
It can be easy to conjure up all kinds of images when thinking about robots. However, this robot is a lot different to many others we have seen over the years. In fact, it is about the shape and size of a soccer ball with no legs and is covered in sensors.
Inspiration For It All
Squishy Robotics and UC Berkeley are behind the project as they learned how many first responders lose their lives as they try to rescue others. Many of these could have been prevented if they knew about the dangerous gases in the area or any other factors they need to take into consideration.
Crafting The Robot
The team knew they wanted the robot to be able to withstand everything that would get thrown its way in a disaster zone – including uneven terrain and long drops. This meant they ditched the legs to avoid anything shattering and opted from contracting cables that take the force from the fall. Plus, they are covered with tiny motors that can move the wires to allow the robot to shapeshift between rocks.
Withstanding The Demands
Now, it appears as though the team have been able to create one of the most impressive robots on the market. Not only can this basic looking robot withstand a fall from 200 feet, but it can also survive getting shot out of a cannon. Thankfully, all their engineering has made this one tough nut to crack.
Looking To The Future
There are many plans for the future of this robot. Researchers are now working with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to try and refine the technology needed to make the robot perfect for emergency situations. Plus, there are talks that NASA has plans to use one of the robots to explore Saturn’s moon, but this could still be a long way off.
Robots are intelligent creatures that have been able to achieve a lot over the years. Now, it looks as though they could start to save lives, too.