The robot can also move through a vertical tunnel (as long as it’s touching both sides) at a rate of 8 cm (3“) per second and swim at 6 cm (2”) per second–13 percent faster with some modification.
If you’d like a lot of them—a swarm, if you will—you’re in luck: the design can be 3D printed and is also scalable.
Designing a Single-Actuator Robot
The Single Actuator Wave-Like Robot (SAW) produces an advancing sine wave with a large amplitude, mimicking the movement of living biological systems like snakes and worms, though in this case the movement is in the vertical plane, rather than the horizontal.
With a diameter of 1 cm (0.4”) or less, smaller units could enter the human body for imaging or diagnostic purposes, which is only slightly terrifying.
The SAW was developed by an engineering team at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. Dr. David Zarrouk of the Department of Mechanical Engineering partnered with Ilanit Waksman and Nir Dagani, experts in viscous liquid swimming and movement over flexible and slippery surfaces respectively.
Zarrouk believes that the simplicity of his design, its energy efficiency and minimal maintenance requirements will allow for the diverse range of applications he envisions. Zarrouk notes that robotics researchers have been attempted to develop a wave movement for over 90 years, and is proud that his team has accomplished this elusive goal with an elegantly simple design.
For another example of biologically inspired robotics, this biohybrid ray is a leap forward in robotic bioengineering.