The University of Bristol in the UK is producing “swarms” of tiny robots called RoboSalps that mimic the design and physiology of an intriguing zooplankton. “salp”. Similar to jellyfish, salps have translucent barrel-shaped bodies and lead to indefinite existences, sometimes alone, sometimes gathered in colonies.
According to Valentina Lo Gatto, principal investigator of the study, “RoboSalp is the first salpa-inspired modular robot. Each module is made of a very light, soft tubular structure and a drone propeller that allows it to float. These simple modules can be combined to perform complex tasks. turned into much more robust colonies with the potential to bring
While each RoboSalps module is free to float on its own as it is equipped with a small motor with rotor blades in its soft tubular structure, many of these units when combined form a “spare” system. continues to work even if one of the modules is broken.
Where will RoboSalps be used?
According to Lo Gatto, due to their robustness and low weight, RoboSalps are “ideal candidates for underwater exploration missions to extraterrestrials, such as the subterranean ocean of Jupiter’s moon Europa”. In fact, that’s exactly what he proposes, namely that the robotic units are designed to explore the salty ocean of Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons.
Scientists think that the smallest of the four moons of the giant planet, discovered by Galileo Galilei in the 17th century, harbors an enormous ocean beneath its ice sheet. To prove these hypotheses, NASA will send a spacecraft called Europa Clipper to Jupiter, with the goal of exploring the Galilean moon, with takeoff scheduled for next year.
In this sense, the unprecedented soft robot colony is emerging as an innovative concept that offers a wide range of options for exploring the interplanetary environment. Soft and potentially efficient, RoboSaps are easy to transport due to their reduced volume as well as providing safer interaction with possible potentially sensitive ecosystemswithout harming the environment.
Source: Tec Mundo
I’m Blaine Morgan, an experienced journalist and writer with over 8 years of experience in the tech industry. My expertise lies in writing about technology news and trends, covering everything from cutting-edge gadgets to emerging software developments. I’ve written for several leading publications including Gadget Onus where I am an author.
