"Meet the Robots: Ariel, Rhex, Sprawl, and Mecho-Gecko
Ariel: Moving just like a crab, this autonomous robot built by iRobot (formerly IS Robotics) is the first legged platform capable of walking either on land or underwater in the turbulent surf zone.
RHex: With its snub-nosed, squat form and dogged persistence over rocks and obstacles, RHex resembles a hyperactive terrier, but in locomotion it's closer to a cockroach. It has six legs oriented in the horizontal plane, like those of crabs, lizards and cockroaches; each leg turns clockwise around its central axis, giving it purchase even on uneven steps.
Sprawl: The SPRAWL family of six-legged robots represents a leap forward in robotic materials. Using a new engineering technique called shape deposition manufacturing, the researchers can not only form limbs in the right shape, but also build desired material properties (like stiffness or bendability at certain points) right into them.
Mecho-Gecko: iRobot has built two gecko-inspired robots. The Mecho-Gecko's three legs are tipped with a pressure-sensitive adhesive (think Post-Its) to mimic the unroll-and-peel-off manner in which geckos climb, while the Bull-Gecko uses the same adhesive on bulldozer-like treads instead of legs."
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Unlocking the Secrets of Animal Locomotion - Robots
