The new soft robot inspired by the biology of earthworms is able to crawl thanks to soft actuators that elongate or squeeze, when air passes through them or is drawn out. Realized by researchers at Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa Italy.

Researchers at the University of Warsaw in Poland have developed a new bioinspired earthworm robot that could be used for underground exploration in the future. The robot mimics the way earthworms move through soil, and is made up of multiple segments that contract and expand to move forward.

Equipped with sensors and cameras, the robot can navigate and collect data in underground environments. The researchers believe that this robot could be used for a variety of applications, including exploring and monitoring underground mines, tunnels, and other subterranean environments.

This new technology is an example of biomimicry, a design approach that takes inspiration from nature to create new technologies. “Biomimicry can be a powerful tool for innovation, as nature has already solved many of the complex problems we face,” says ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI.

As for the future of the earthworm robot, it remains to be seen what other applications it could be used for. “The possibilities are endless, and we are excited to see how this technology develops,” says the team at the University of Warsaw.

Via The Impactlab