New robot does the worm, for real

Sure, we've seen plenty of robot snakes in the past, but none like this robot earthworm being developed at Chuo University in Japan. The same research department that showed us the incredible Strider bot, is now demonstrating a machine that can move on open land and along narrow passageways, using the same method of peristalsis as the average night crawler. Each section of the body expands and contracts in a specific order, thus enabling the rubber-gripped bot to move inside of a tube with almost no lateral motion, even when crawling straight up.  We can see how this technology, which NASA is also working on, could be used in fields like geology, robofishing and medicine, even though watching the videos on the site and seeing the word "catheter" in the article made us more than a little uneasy.

 

[Mercenary @ Jun 20th 2006 8:39AM]

Why do these things never have videos? Its supposed to be a cool moving thingy, I want to see cool thingys moving.

[Todd @ Jun 20th 2006 8:57AM]

Would make a good weapon if it can be shrunk down in size to become an anti-personnel autonomous, colonoscoper.

[Rohit Kapur @ Jun 20th 2006 9:03AM]

Its definitely an interesting advancement. This thing could have a lot of potentially great purposes. I'm most inclined towards medicinal. Let's see though...

And PLEASE, let's not have any "i for one welcome our robot overlords" comments this time.

PLEASE.

[Alex @ Jun 20th 2006 9:12AM]

I for one welcome our robot overlords :p

[Ken @ Jun 20th 2006 9:34AM]

Can the "robotic tapeworm" be far behind? ...how cool would that be? Each segment could be autonomous, and the "robotic tapeworm" could be approved for medicinal use on humans.

[Josh @ Jun 20th 2006 9:59AM]

Mercenary, there are videos on the page linked from the article. Here are some:

http://robot.watch.impress.co.jp/static/2006/06/19/p1020693.wmv
http://robot.watch.impress.co.jp/static/2006/06/19/p1020706.wmv
http://robot.watch.impress.co.jp/static/2006/06/19/p1020701.wmv

[Pfft @ Jun 20th 2006 10:34AM]

One word: colonoscopy.

[Jimmy @ Jun 20th 2006 11:22AM]

You've really got to hand it to the Japanese, they watch some 90's flick like "Tremors" and spend the next 15 years of their lives making it reality. Good work, Chuo University.

[David @ Jun 20th 2006 11:24AM]

Hard to get one of those on a hook.

[chaoticset @ Jun 20th 2006 11:27AM]

Actually, the tapeworm idea presents an interesting solution to the problem of gastric bypass surgery -- if a robotic tapeworm could be created that manufactures new segments using biological materials, then it could work just like a regular one to steal ingested material for sustenance. As long as it was high-appetite and low-efficiency, and its growth curve was regulated carefully, it could be used for rather extreme weight loss.

Of course, figuring out a way to make tapeworms safe would work too, and would probably be easier. This thing might be better as a sewer explorer...

[blackfeather @ Jun 20th 2006 1:27PM]

Rohit Kapur,

I for one welcome the use of snowclones, so long as they are mad-libbed appropriately: For example, we could say, "Well, I for one welcome our new colonic-cleansing overlords."

That way, it never gets old...

[Wry Cooter @ Jun 20th 2006 3:55PM]

There will probably be a candiru model before they get to the tapeworm generation.

[i'macomputa @ Jun 20th 2006 5:50PM]

I didn't know that "robots" were also considered "gadgets". How about creating a enrobot.com sister site.

[rocko @ Jun 20th 2006 6:16PM]

Tis a sad day when man is beaten by robots in breakdancing