Amphibious Robot Snake Is Damn Scary
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Thursday, 17 of July , 2008 at 2:20 am
I’m not generally one to get freaked out by snakes. My best friend (who is coincidentally my pet) is a bigass black snake, in fact. I’m also not generally one to get freaked out by robots (with some exceptions). If I did, I probably wouldn’t have lasted as long as I have in this job. Combine the two, and I’m still good… Or I thought I was, until I saw this thing. Just wait for it to jump in the pool:
Guh. So creepy. ACM-R5 (as it is fetchingly known) moves the same way snakes do, by being slippery only in the direction it wants to go (thanks to wheels on its lateral fins) and undulating its body to push against the ground. The same type of motion works just as well in water, which is great, just great. The control system, at least, is cool in a non-terrifying way:
The control system of ACM-R5 is an advanced one. Each joint unit has CPU, battery, motors, so they can operate independently. Through communication lines each unit exchanges signals and automatically recognizes its number from the head, and how many units join the system. Thanks to this system operators can remove, add, and exchange units freely and they can operate ACM-R5 flexibly according to situations.
Super, so it can get infinitely long and if you destroy one module, another can take its place. That’s brilliant, really it is. Just keep it the hell away from me, mkay?
[ Hirose Fukushima Lab ] VIA [ GeekAlerts ]
Comments (8)
Category: Biorobotics,Research
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Comment by Iron Man
Made Thursday, 17 of July , 2008 at 2:30 pm
It works, in my opinion, much better in the water than it did on the ground.
the added factor that any of those could become the head is just crazy.
I want one.
Comment by Martin
Made Tuesday, 22 of July , 2008 at 2:56 am
The movement of this robot-snake are so realistic. Creepy but so cool.
Comment by Snake Oil Baron
Made Tuesday, 15 of September , 2009 at 9:50 am
Police investigations could be assisted by not having to wait for limited licenced divers to find a body or other evidence. This design seems much faster than the conventional, clunky propellor driven aquatic robots. A few of them could search an area efficiently and the police could wait and call in the divers when something needing careful retrieval is found. Same goes for inspecting underwater structures. Espionage agencies could swim the thing up a small stream in a hostile country, slither it up a boat ramp and drop a payload at a prearranged spot if sufficient energy capacity can be achieved.
Comment by bajrang
Made Tuesday, 3 of August , 2010 at 9:24 pm
how to make robo snaks
Comment by bajrang
Made Tuesday, 3 of August , 2010 at 9:25 pm
how to make robo snakes
Comment by quantum_flux
Made Wednesday, 10 of November , 2010 at 4:51 pm
That is both intricately beautiful and yet quite complicated at the same time.
Comment by paving contractors lancaster
Made Tuesday, 22 of November , 2011 at 7:15 pm
I enjoy reading a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
Comment by Felipe Lucatero
Made Sunday, 4 of December , 2011 at 4:23 am
Involving me and my husband we’ve owned more MP3 players through the many years than I can rely, including Sansas, iRivers, iPods (basic & effect), the Ibiza Rhapsody, and so forth. But, the final several many years I’ve settled decrease to a person line of players. Why? Mainly because I was happy to uncover how very well-designed and fun to use the underappreciated (and widely mocked) Zunes are.
