Dr. Gavin Miller designed snake robots like this one using his own funding. He wanted to find out how the highly variable methods snake use to navigate different types of terrain could be applied to robotics. The goal was to develop robots that could take samples, carry sensors, and even make physical changes in different environments, primarily as search-and-rescue aids. Unlike some other robots in this slideshow, Miller's are untethered, so they must carry their own computers and batteries, and they can be easily controlled remotely. SnakeRobots.com shows several generations of Miller's experiments, as well as simulations he developed to refine locomotion strategies. (Source: Gavin Miller/SnakeRobots.com)
Exactly! That was my first thought, too! I guess that dates us, doesn't it? But it is interesting to see how the movement of that simple toy was a precursor for what's being done in robotics...and that toy moved simply on design alone without actuators. I guess you never know where inspiration will come from or how these things evolve.
I'm not sure which is worse. Slowly dieing while trapped under the rubble of a building or seeing a mechanical snake monster approaching you and you can't get away.
sensor pro, thanks for that link. That snake robot, and its uses, look quite similar to some of the search-and-rescue snake/worm/bots in this slideshow. But--I wonder if that's a cammo skin pattern, or a natural snake skin pattern? I can't tell from the low-res photo.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
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At the Design News webinar on June 27, learn all about aluminum extrusion: designing the right shape so it costs the least, is simplest to manufacture, and best fits the application's structural requirements.
A new battery design, which replaces lithium with abundant and low-cost elemental sulfur, is still in its nascent stages but shows real promise for giving batteries more energy potential.
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For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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