Humanoid robots are the recent factor in the mean time and enterprise capitalists are frothing over demos of these robots doing karate or no matter. However whereas humanoid robots do make sense for a lot of conditions, they’re sort of boring. So, I’m dropping one thing extra intriguing into your information feed: this loopy robotic that appears like some sort of cyberpunk caterpillar.
That is Porcospino Flex and it was created by Nodehi et al on the College of Genoa. The white paper has a bunch of fancy language describing how such a robotic might show helpful throughout many industries. However let’s be actual; no one cares about any of that and we’re simply right here as a result of the factor appears wild. It’s bristling with spines and brings to thoughts some sort of outsized alien parasite.
The paper actually says {that a} porcupine and a millipede have been sources of inspiration for the design.
That unusual look is all in service of its perform, which is crawling round within the mud. Consider it like a giant 3D-printed tank observe with lengthy studs for traction. To show, it tightens cables that trigger one facet to contract and the entire physique to curve.
Porcospino Flex runs beneath the management of a Raspberry Pi 4 Mannequin B single-board laptop, which drives the tank observe and steering cable winches with Micromotors RH158 brushed gearmotors.
In concept, this robotic must be good at navigating by way of tight areas. That might make it splendid for duties like inspecting sewage pipes. It’s also fairly good at traversing uneven terrain, so it is perhaps appropriate for search and rescue operations in collapsed buildings or mines.
However my suspicion is that Nodehi et al. simply needed an excuse to make a robotic that appears like a caterpillar from an android’s nightmares.
