The American engineers created the robot worm

The American engineers developed the new robot which simulates movements of a worm and is capable to move through narrow openings, is told in video presentation of the Massachusetts technological university. Financing of the project is conducted at the expense of Management of perspective development (DARPA) of the Pentagon. The new robot which has received the name Meshworm, is capable to endure explosion or strong blow on the case. Allegedly, it will be used in investigation.
Specialists of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Harward university and South Korean National university in Seoul are engaged in development of the robot worm. The created version of the robot is based on the technical practices reached by engineers before by the project DARPA became interested. According to experts, the form of a worm is chosen not casually - she allows to reduce considerably the noise level, made Meshworm.
Initially engineers planned to use systems of the mobile metal elements actuated by a pneumatic. However such technology considerably increased the sizes and a shumnost of a worm. After DARPA was engaged in financing of the project, pneumatic systems was decided to replace with "artificial muscles", consisting of thin nickel and titanic a provolok. Such design is capable to change the form when heating under the influence of an electricity.
As a result the robot represents a tube from a grid of elastic polymeric threads with an elastic filler. The nickel and titanic wire is wound with small spaces between rounds round the Meshworm case. The winding is conditionally divided into segments which at supply of electricity are capable to be reduced or extend, simulating thereby movements of a worm. On the case of the robot "artificial muscles", movements responsible for the direction are also placed longitudinal.
Engineers developed algorithm thanks to which tension moves on different segments of "body" of the robot serially for management of all system. While researchers managed to achieve the movement Meshworm with a speed in five millimeters a second. The main advantage of the presented design researchers call stability to external influences - the robot completely keeps the functionality after blow a hammer and can potentially endure explosion.
It is necessary to note that DARPA gives particular attention to the robots simulating various animals. In particular, in interests of management development of the robot cheetah (while about 29 kilometers per hour are capable to be dispersed), the prospecting robot humming-bird, and also the AlphaDog robot dog intended for carrying of equipment of soldiers in long transitions is conducted.