Snake-like robot with tentacles could replace divers in risky offshore jobs
SMRTR summary
A snake-like robot with soft, flexible tentacles is poised to transform dangerous underwater inspection work, potentially keeping human divers safely on shore. The 3.3-foot robotic tentacle, developed through a UK-Brazil partnership, can bend and conform to subsea structures with remarkable precision.
"This breakthrough fundamentally changes how we can approach underwater inspection tasks," explains Rowanne Miller, Project Manager at the National Robotarium. "It opens up new possibilities for safer, more precise interaction with critical subsea infrastructure."
Tested in turbulent wave tanks, the robot demonstrated extraordinary stability against forces up to 300 g, quickly self-correcting when disturbed—a crucial capability for deep-sea operations around offshore wind farms and pipelines.
The stakes couldn't be higher. With millions of miles of underwater energy infrastructure and decommissioning costs projected to exceed $100 billion by 2030, maintaining these assets has become an urgent priority.
This innovation scales up soft robotics technology typically used for delicate, small-scale tasks, proving it can solve major engineering challenges while potentially reducing costs, improving safety, and lowering the carbon footprint of offshore operations.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Interesting Engineering.
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