Snakebot
Courtesy Special Operations Apps
Manned surveillance missions are critical to obtaining useful
intelligence. But sending a soldier into sensitive areas can often be
too dangerous. Scientists are developing robots that could do the job.
Last spring, the Advanced Technologies Laboratory at Lockheed Martin
unveiled a prototype that uses sensors to model its environment, detect
potential threats, calculate lines of sight, and locate good hiding
places.
Next-generation surveillance robots will probably combine sensors
similar to those on the prototype with more-powerful artificial
intelligence and a stealthy body. One such device could be the snakebot,
developed by a team at the Biorobotics and Biomechanics Lab at the
Technion–Israel Institute of Technology. The robot could infiltrate
sewage pipes, crawl under floorboards, or coil up and stand upright for a
better view. It could even shed one of its segments, dropping off audio
bugs or explosive warheads for assassination missions.
NATURAL MOVEMENT
The six-foot snakebot
(top) consists of polymer segments connected by flexible joints and is
powered by electric motors. Movement control relies on software that
determines the best mode of travel—wriggling, rolling, corkscrewing—for
each situation. Sidewinding is fastest but requires good traction;
inching forward by undulating the body is slower but works in confined
spaces; rolling may be easiest on a flat surface. The snakebot can also
rise up to climb stairs and other vertical obstacles.
3-D MAPPING
The robot’s laser-radar cameras scan the environment to determine the
distance to every reflecting surface in 360 degrees, generating a
“point cloud” of readings. Software joins the dots, turning them into a
3-D model of the surroundings. From the model, the robot can determine a
threat’s sight line, assess and navigate toward hiding spots, and steer
clear of dangerously exposed areas.
SMARTER SENSORS
A set of four directional microphones enables the robot to detect
approaching humans. By comparing the time that sounds reach each mic,
the robot can calculate a threat’s location, bearing and speed, and use
that data to determine if it needs to hide.
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