Home » News » Caltech’s bioinspired ‘Morphobot’ is a tiny transforming robot that can crawl, walk, drive, stand, and fly

Caltech’s bioinspired ‘Morphobot’ is a tiny transforming robot that can crawl, walk, drive, stand, and fly

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Image credit : Yahoo Finance Caltech has developed a new robot called the M4 (Multi-Modal Mobility Morphobot) that can change its shape to adapt to different modes of transportation. In a press release, the university compared the M4 to a Transformer, and the comparison is not far off. [caption id="attachment_187081" align="aligncenter" width="1080"]M4 Morphobot Image credit : Reddit[/caption] Equipped with electronics, motors, and a small computer, the M4 can determine the most suitable form for its locomotion. The robot features large wheels that can swiftly transform into rotor-like appendages, enabling it to fly like a drone. It can also utilize the rotors to navigate steep slopes while the back wheels propel it forward on the ground. Additionally, if the terrain is rough or it requires better visibility, the M4 can stand on two wheels and use them as feet. [caption id="attachment_187083" align="aligncenter" width="1240"]morphobot_m4 Image credit : Technabob[/caption] Mory Gharib, a professor of aeronautics and bioinspired engineering at Caltech, collaborated with Alireza Ramezani, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at Northeastern University, to design the M4. Their work is detailed in a paper published in Nature Communications, which includes illustrations showcasing the various forms the robot can assume and whimsical drawings of animals that inspired the project, such as meerkats and walruses. The robot is powered by Nvidia's Jetson Nano CPU, a cost-effective computer designed for robotics applications. According to the paper, the M4 is capable of achieving eight distinct types of motion and can autonomously decide which mode to employ based on its analysis of the surrounding conditions using artificial intelligence. Gharib suggests that its capabilities could prove useful in scenarios such as transporting injured individuals to hospitals or exploring other planets. Also read : Ottobot Yeti, an unmanned delivery robot that can deliver products without your help Caltech has previously developed other versatile and entertaining robots. LEONARDO, for instance, is a bipedal robot with propellers for arms, allowing it to fly or maintain stability while walking, accompanied by an eerie ghost-like sound. The university has also created a drone that can transform and be launched for specific tasks.

By Awanish Kumar

I keep abreast of the latest technological developments to bring you unfiltered information about gadgets.

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