Scientists Mimic “Flying Snakes” to Design New Robots

Robots are now derived from the phenomenon of the movements of flying snakes and reptiles

By now, it is quite evident that robots are here to stay. They are undertaking some of the most dangerous and repetitive tasks to help human workers out in their daily lives. Innovations and development in this sector have been soaring and are triggering growth in almost all sectors of society. However, robotics innovations have also gotten weirder. New robots have been designed to move in ways that will mimic animal movements such as swimming and walking. Now, scientists are moving in different ways that will copy the gliding motion demonstrated by flying snakes!

As creepy as it might sound, it is actually true. In Physics of Fluids by AIP Publishing, scientists from the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech explored the lift production mechanism of flying snakes. Here, the robots move sideways like snakes as they do from the top of a tree to the ground to escape predators or to move around quickly and efficiently. These primary movements allow the snake to glide for long distances, as much as 25 meters from a 15-meter tower.

Basically, serpents like paradise tree snakes writhe between one and two times per second as they travel between tree branches or in the ground. But even these movements have their drawbacks that sometimes interrupt the aerodynamics of a snake's movement. Researchers have mimicked this movement to enable the robots to move to soar distances while still being in the air.

These feats truly demonstrate what the robotics industry can achieve in the next ten years, infact, if they are able to keep up with the momentum, soon we might be able to have robot spider and octopuses too!