Dragonflies, kangaroos, birds… Festo's robots have left us speechless in the past. Imitating nature is no simple task, but the German company has managed to outdo itself with each design. This time it's the turn of spiders… as uncomfortable as that may sound. To be precise, it's the robotic version of Cebrennus rechenbergi, the acrobatic spider from Morocco that escapes its predators by rolling.
When we think of robots, the first thing that comes to mind these days is Boston Dynamics. Their designs are increasingly impressive; they can open doors with ease, adapt to unexpected situations (like receiving a hit), and move at a more than decent speed. As part of the 'Skynet generation,' it's impossible not to imagine one of those robots with a laser beam mounted on its back (?), but there are also other lines of development, and one of the most interesting is the one Festo follows. Between chameleon tongues and dragonflies, we could say that quadruped robots are not a priority for the German manufacturer. The latest proof of this is the BionicWheelBot.
A robotic spider that rolls
Droids! Well, no. Actually, the BionicWheelBot is inspired by the curious spider Cebrennus rechenbergi that lives in the Erg Chebbi of Morocco. Whenever it is provoked or threatened, the spider uses a very special escape technique: rolling out of the dunes. What the BionicWheelBot does is transform six of its legs into wheels and use the remaining two to push, all controlled with the help of fifteen motors. The BionicWheelBot is larger than it appears: 570 by 238 by 796 millimeters. Its main battery is LiPo, 1,000 mAh at 7.4 volts, and its processor is an STM32F4 based on the ARM Cortex-M4 architecture.
Are we ready for arachnid robots?
While it's evident that the BionicWheelBot moves faster by rolling, personally I appreciate the speed limit, but I also suspect Festo sees that as a challenge to overcome in the future. Are we ready for arachnid robots? I think the natural answer is 'no,' although it would be crazy to deny what Festo has achieved with its robot.
