It may not be a Dr. Octopus exoskeleton, but this bot does have 3 tentacle like arms. The U.S. Army Research Laboratory has taken a snake robot and combined three of them together with a body. They call their creation a Robotic Tentacle Manipulator.
This monstrosity can crawl, swim and go through narrrow spaces. In other words, you can’t run or hide from it. This bot uses the same movement techniques of a snake, specifically how they push off of rocks to propel themselves.
We’ve seen our share of snake bots around here. Frankly we didn’t think they could get more terrifying, but thanks to some engineering students at the University of Michigan, we now know better. The OmniTread serpentine robot consists of seven segments connected by pneumatic bellows.
It’s designed to maneuver in those places where other bots can’t: difficult terrain, small holes, climbing over high obstacles and even slithering through the rubble of a collapsed building. Perfect for anyone needing to be rescued.
The Army’s New Tentacle Robot | botropolis.com
