Coming to a tight spot near you: CLARI, the little, squishable robot that can passively change its shape to squeeze through narrow gaps—with a bit of inspiration from the world of bugs.
CLARI, which stands for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect, comes from a team of engineers at the CU Boulder. It also has the potential to aid first responders after major disasters in an entirely new way.
Several of these robots can easily fit in the palm of your hand, and each weighs less than a Ping Pong ball. CLARI can transform its shape from square to long and slender when its surroundings become cramped, said Heiko Kabutz, a doctoral student in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Kabutz and his colleagues introduced the miniature robot in a study published Aug. 30 in the journal "Advanced Intelligent Systems."
Read more at University of Colorado at Boulder
Image: CLARI's modular design could allow researchers to add more legs to this robot, creating a spider-like machine. (Credit: Casey Cass/CU Boulder)