Back in 2007, the Salamandra robotica was helping researchers understand the movement of vertebrae and how they could be manipulated. Scientists are now back with the new and improved version, which is able to swim, crawl, walk and function on both land and sea.
Salamandra robotica II has been designed by researchers at the Biorobotics Laboratory at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne technical university in Switzerland. The next-generation amphibious robot's movements are controlled by neural circuits within its artificial spinal cord, which send electrical signals of varying intensity that alter the type of movement and speed of the robot.
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The direction of the Salamandra can also be changed, depending on which signals the robot's operator decides to send through a remote computer.
The robot is equipped with foldable limbs and upgraded micro-controllers that simulate muscles. These changes in the robot's makeup are part of the team's study into locomotive systems, and it is hoped that the project research will also prove a helpful addition to future search and rescue operations.
View more: Salamandra
Via: Phys.org
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This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com
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