A team of engineers from the University of Glasgow say the 'roboworms' can stretch up to nine times their own length and are capable of a form of proprioception – the method by which biological organisms like worms perceive their position in space. This allows the robot worms to squeeze into tight spots that rigid robots cannot reach.
The researchers hope that the invention could lead to a new generation of robots capable of autonomously exploring difficult-to-reach places, which could be used in areas such as mining and construction or disaster relief to search for survivors trapped in rubble.
The technology could also be used to develop more lifelike prosthetics or equip robots with the ability to wrap around and lift irregularly-shaped heavy objects. The way the robots move was inspired by the movements of inchworms and earthworms.
Professor Ravinder Dahiya, of the University of Glasgow’s James Watt School of Engineering, leads the Bendable...