Life Saving Rat Bot

This is a robot inspired by rats, and it's purpose is to search for
survivors through rubble and burning buildings. It does all this using
only it's whiskers. So, rescue teams be prepared and save some money
to get you hands on this.

This rat like robot is called SCRATCHBot, (Spatial Cognition and
Representation through Active TouCH roBot). The SCRATCHBot is able to
search for survivors under many conditions, it easily search through
smoke filled and pitch black rooms, and all this is possible due to
the touch sensors
located on a set of whiskers.It can really be very helpful in
searching through rubble or debris and also can be really handy in
mine clearing operations. Just imagine, now it's absolutely okay to
get trapped in the most weirdest conditions because even if they
failed getting you out they at least found you!

Okay, this device is the brainchild of UK researchers from University
of Bristol and University of Sheffield, who have spent six years in
researching and designing this robotic rat. Well that's a lot of
years, if would be married, I would have had at least a minimum of
seven children by that time, if possible! Well moving back to
SCRATCHBot, it is a part of the pan-European project to develop
biologically-inspired artificial intelligence systems. The project got
inspiration because of the use of touch in the animal kingdom,
specifically rats as they are the ones who use whiskers to move around
in poorly lit places. They are able to determine the positions, shape
and texture of the object using precise rhythmic sweeping movements of
their whiskers, and then map it all mentally.

This technology has a number of applications, like using robot
underground, under the sea or also in extremely dusty conditions. It
can also be used for tactile inspection of materials in textile mills
or in domestic products it can work as a really advanced vacuum
cleaner from the future.

"In Humans, for example, where sensors are at the fingertips, they are
more vulnerable to damage and injury than whiskers." said Tony Pipe,
of the Bristol Robotics Lab. Professor Prescott said, Although touch
sensors are already implied in robots, the use of touch as a principle
sense has
been overlooked until now. By developing these biomimetic robots, we
are not just designing novel touch-sensing devices, but also making a
real contribution to understanding the biology d tactile sensing.

As this indeed is a great development which would save you ass, under
a lot a circumstances, please be careful. Here is a video of the
SCRATCHBot.