This robot is as ugly and leathery as a cockroach

Nature has always been one of the main the Muses for scientists dedicated to robotics. In addition to humanoid automata, we have seen many specimens imitating animals and many of them inspired by insects.

Now we know a new robot that, if we were to compare it to a living being, it would undoubtedly be the badroach. But beyond its resemblance to the insect, it is a technology with promises and interesting applications.

Robotic cuckoo

One of the greatest virtues of this development by scientists at the University of California at Berkeley is its resistance. The robot accuses 100 milligrams on the scale and withstands 1 million times more pressure than its own weight.

As the researchers explain in an article published in the magazine Robotic science, is able to withstand the trampling of a person of 60 kilograms… and keep working, as you can see in the following video.

"If you walk on a badroach, you have to crush it a bit because otherwise, it could survive and escape. When you climb on our robot, a huge force is applied, but it continues to work, "said Liwei Lin, one of the researchers involved.

The magic of the little automaton that has only one leg in the front section lies in the materials used. They are flexible, and when the electric current is transmitted, they straighten up.

In addition to the resistance, this bug the mechanics is very fast: in 1 second, it travels a distance 20 times greater than its own length. Again, comparing with badroaches is a good idea because it is a skill that also shows this insect.

Beyond the similar ones, the possible applications are interesting. As it usually happens in microrobotics, one of the most profitable uses will be in case of disaster. In this case, the small machine could enter risky sites and help rescuers obtain information in the field. Its speed and hardness will help you to resist any danger.

Yichuan Wu, another scientist, said it could also be useful to throw him in a pipe. But unlike a real badroach, no one will want to exterminate it: this will be used to detect any leaks.