Scientists at the University of Tokyo have created a robot in the shape of a flying spider, which in a furious fit of imagination they called SPIDAR.
The acronym stands for “SPhere Ically vectorable and Dis distributed assisted rotors Air-ground amphibious quadruped Robot): I dislocated my translator, but in the end an “air-land amphibious quadruped robot with distributed rotors and spherical vectors” came out that could give you an idea.
How is this horrible contraption made and above all what is it for?
Basically, the robot spider is equipped with 16 thrusters on its legs that allow it to fly, walk and move easily in the water.
I find this stuff chilling, but in the study published to present it (I link it here) Japanese researchers say this new solution biomimetics (always praise for this approach that imitates Mother Nature) could have multiple uses in areas such as surveillance, exploration and maintenance of sites that are difficult to access.
How does the robotic spider work?
SPIDAR is ugly and strong, but it has other qualities: for example its lightness, which allows it to fly and walk, albeit aided by its thrusters to reduce its weight (already low: 15kg, 33 lbs). The thrust of the motors creates a sort of "balloon effect" that holds the robot spider up as if someone were pulling it from above with invisible threads.
Oh well, as always I show you the video first, right?
SPIDAR can currently fly for approximately 9 minutes, or walk for 18 minutes before needing to be recharged. A time which, although reduced, can already make this robot spider useful in rescue scenarios or in the exploration of difficult to reach environments.
Maybe, but let me know when it becomes operational, that I'm going to hide under a bed.
