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Tiny Robots Climb Walls Carrying More Than 100 Times Their Weight

Posted by samzenpus on from the carrying-a-heavy-load dept.

schwit1 writes: Mighty things come in small packages. The little robots in this video can haul things that weigh over 100 times more than themselves. The super-strong bots — built by mechanical engineers at Stanford — will be presented next month at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle, Washington. The secret is in the adhesives on the robots' feet. Their design is inspired by geckos, which have climbing skills that are legendary in the animal kingdom. The adhesives are covered in minute rubber spikes that grip firmly onto the wall as the robot climbs. When pressure is applied, the spikes bend, increasing their surface area and thus their stickiness. When the robot picks its foot back up, the spikes straighten out again and detach easily.

19 comments

  1. King Frosty The First by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    I'm first, and I'm your king. Bow to me.

  2. Alternative youtube video by Katatsumuri · · Score: 0

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Not sure if it is the same one; could not be bothered to install the plugin.

    1. Re:Alternative youtube video by Katatsumuri · · Score: 4, Informative

      No, that was the old prototype from 2010. This must be the new strong thing, looks really impressive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  3. when i was a kid, by dwpbike · · Score: 5, Funny

    we had roaches that could do that

    1. Re:when i was a kid, by Ken_g6 · · Score: 2

      But these robots are more likely to do what you want them to do than roaches. (Well, most roaches, anyway.)

      --
      (T>t && O(n)--) == sqrt(666)
    2. Re:when i was a kid, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What kind of shit were you rollin' man?

    3. Re:when i was a kid, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      we had roaches that could do that

      lol!

  4. But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    The libtard SJWs still want $15 an hour for themselves for sliding out of someone's womb, not being too mentally retarded, and flipping burgers all day after plenty of morning bong rips and a few more on breaks throughout the day. Let me know how that plan is going in a few years, libtards, when the automation apocalypse comes knocking at your community housing door.

  5. Dragging 45 pounds! by monkeyzoo · · Score: 2

    It's crazy this part where it drags a 45 pound weight (~20kg).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  6. Battery not included. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To be useful over a period of a few minutes 2/3 of the load will be a battery!

  7. Does the tin man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    ...have sheet metal cock?

  8. On Facebook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    Mighty things come in small packages.

    Like my pussy.

    Captcha: consent

  9. english mather fucker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Either my English teacher was a fraud or this part of the sentence "climbing skills that are legendary in the animal kingdom" (from summary does not mean what the author wanted to say.

    1. Re:english mather fucker by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      My English teacher was Dr. Doolittle.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  10. Just like by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just like ants. Nature and natural selection, the best engineers!

  11. Square-Cube law by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I guess the author doesn't have a clue about the Squre-Cube law

  12. YUO FAvIL IT by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1

    all serversW. Coming

  13. But can the robots... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But can the robots sell me car insurance?

  14. Didn't Hiro make these? #BigHero6 by rhyous · · Score: 1

    Didn't Hiro, from Big Hero 6, make these? Do they include the neuro transmitter?