Researchers at MIT, Harvard University and Seoul National University have developed a robotic worm that creeps along the ground, much like its real-life counterpart.
The soft, autonomous robot, named “Meshworm,” crawls across surfaces by contracting segments of its body, according to an MIT release.
Engineers constructed the worm, using a soft mesh tube wrapped in nickel-titanium wire. After a small current is applied to the wire segments, they contract and squeeze the mesh tube, which then propels the ‘bot forward.
Made completely out of soft materials, the worm remains unscathed even when stepped on, or bludgeoned with a hammer.
Researchers say Meshworm could help in disasters, such as tornadoes, by crawling through debris and other tight spaces that humans can’t typically access. They add that doctors could also use the worm to better analyze the inside of a body.
Check out the video above to see Meshworm in action.
http://mashable.com/2012/08/14/robotic-worm-meshworm/