Scientists accomplish 'evolution on demand' by creating shape-shifting turtle robot

Known as ART, the amphibious robot could help with monitoring challenging terrestrial-aquatic ecosystems.
Sade Agard
The amphibious robot transforms between legs to flippers depending on its environment
The amphibious robot transforms between legs to flippers depending on its environment

Robert Baines 

  • Yale University researchers have developed a robot that can transform its limbs into flippers through an "adaptive morphogenesis" process when transitioning from land to sea.
  • Known as ART (Amphibious Robot Turtle), the invention challenges the lack of adaptability favored by current robot design methods.
  • The novel robot's ability to transition from land to sea, and vice versa, demonstrates that a single robot could collect data in challenging aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems like shorelines - reducing costs and energy.

Animal adaptation has long served as a source of inspiration for new technologies. For instance, we've seen krill-inspired adaptive buildings for regulating temperature and chameleon-like robots that can change color to blend into their surroundings. Better yet, trees and shellfish inspired the development of a material that could morph from soft to hard when exposed to light.

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