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New Robots Developed To Climb Walls

Posted by samzenpus on from the your-friendly-neighborhood-roomba dept.

An anonymous reader writes "SRI International, a nonprofit research and development organization, has developed a new technology that enables some robots to scale walls. The wall-climbing robots could be a boon for the US military, which could use them on reconnaissance or other missions in war zones, said Philip von Guggenberg, director of business development for SRI International, adding that the independent group has received some funding from DARPA, the technology research arm of the Pentagon. Von Guggenberg said that the new electrical adhesive technology called compliant electroadhesion, provides an electrically controllable way to stick machines to a wall. So what can they do? That adhesion lets the robots, using either feet or tracks, scale a vertical wall. They can even climb walls covered in dust and debris, or made out of concrete, wood, steel, glass, drywall, and brick. Good news is that regular robots, especially those with tracks, can be retrofitted with the technology and turned into wall climbers. Maybe if the kids are good, they'll get one for Christmas."

4 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. Electroadhesive robots by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Never mind the military uses, how about using them for construction purposes?

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
    1. Re:Electroadhesive robots by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Never mind the military uses, how about using them for construction purposes?
      Indeed. It's pretty sad that most (or just a lot? It seems like most...) new technology comes about for "military needs". Imagen if all this effort was devoted to developing technology whose actual purpose was peaceful applications to benefit a peaceful society... The money we spend on war prevents a renaissance of humanity.
      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    2. Re:Electroadhesive robots by TubeSteak · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Imagen if all this effort was devoted to developing technology whose actual purpose was peaceful applications to benefit a peaceful society... The money we spend on war prevents a renaissance of humanity. The money we spend on war brought us the Internet, which has arguably brought about a modern day renaissance.

      Not to mention that the military is responsible for the commercialization of a wide variety of technologies that go into making safer & cheaper products for everyone.

      As for why so much technology is developed for the military...
      It's because they are willing to go into a cost plus contract with companies.
      Nothing like having the military pay for all the cost overruns & extra R&D.
      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
  2. Gecko feet by DigiShaman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Cool, so they managed to synthesize how a gecko sticks to surfaces...

    Question: Can this technology be applied to tires? Having more grip with less surface area contact would be a major improvement.

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    Life is not for the lazy.