I agree, Chuck. It would help to see what they mean about tight spaces. My guess is that since it's squishy, it can fit into places that a "hard" robot would not be able to fit through. However, it's still tethered, so that could be a hindrance to maneuverability.
I agree, Rob. The technology looks cool, but I'd really like to see a video that gives me an idea how this technology could be applied to "maneuver through tight spaces."
Interesting new technology, Ann. I would imagine this squishy new robot could take a wide range of forms as the technology is developed. The chameleon quality could help in surveillance.
Thanks Nadine, glad you enjoyed the post. Even though, as Lou noted it's not a great video and the movements of the robot are rather crude, it's still fun to watch. I thought the prosthetics apps seemed a bit far-fetched, but the search-and-rescue ones make sense for navigating tight spaces and acting as a type of sentinel by lighting up. What I'd like to see is the untethered stage of this beastie.
Lou, much of this robotics research, like other research, doesn't get all the way to a full-blown product/system. That's because some of it consists of fundamental investigations of how things work, and some of it just doesn't pan out. In general, that's pretty typical of advances in both the sciences and technology. As many commenters have noted, making people aware of what other engineers are thinking up can be inspiring.
I'm with you Naperlou. This is amazing technology, but the video makes it look a bit inept. Even so, this is a creepy-cool robot. It's going to be fun to see where this technology leads.
This is biomimicry at its most beautiful. Who doesn't like watching videos osf squids changing colour?
The claims to help prosthetics technology and search and rescue seem shakey. I'd like to see a follow up. How it develops over time could be interesting.
Ann, this is an interesting technology. On the other hand, the video was underwhelming. It is always interesting to hear the speculation that researchers have for their developments. I wonder if anyone really tracks the accuracy of what is said.
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