A robotic octopus developed by Greek researchers at the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH) was the focus of publications by IEEE Spectrum and Mashable, following its recent presentation at the IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2014 in Chicago.
The octopus of Greek researchers is one of the robotic platforms of the EYOR (Computer Vision and Robotics Laboratory) and is an eight-legged robot inspired by the morphology and movement abilities of the octopus.
It is made mainly of elastic materials and, as stated on the FORTH website, "experiments in water showed an innovative underwater movement mechanism with an appropriate combination of arm and net movement," as well as its efficiency.
As noted in the IEEE Spectrum article, the researchers emphasized that their work focuses on adding to the robot a specific feature of the real octopus: the "web" between the tentacles, which is thought to help with swimming speed and efficiency. The introduction of a soft and flexible silicone web has doubled its speed, while the researchers also endowed it with the ability to crawl, carry objects and swim freely.
As the researchers pointed out, the robot could be a good platform for observing marine life without disturbing the creatures, which in videos appeared not to react negatively to its presence - as long as, of course, no attempt is made to monitor organisms targeted by the cephalopods.
The paper "Multi-arm Robotic Swimming With Octopus-Inspired Compliant Web" was written by Michael Sfakiotakis, Asimina Kazakidi, Augusta Hatzidaki, Theodoros Evdaimon and Dimitris Tsakiris of FORTH.
The remaining robotic platforms of EUROR include the wave motion robot "Neriis", robotic endoscopic capsules, the robots "LEFKOS", Plato and Peleas, the FLYBOT (a helicopter belonging to the Rotorcraft Unmanned Aerial Vehicles- RUAV category), a robotic wheelchair equipped with sonar sensors and panoramic vision and "TALOS" – an RWI B21 robotic platform, equipped with sonar, infrared and bumper sensors and a TRC stereoscopic system.
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Source: defencenet.gr
