Robot Runs Over Water

A robot that can speed across the surface of water like a lizard could open the door for multi-legged amphibious robots.

The Water Runner, being developed by assistant professor Metin Sitti at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, could search for victims in flooded disaster areas, be equipped with biochemical sensors to monitor water quality, or use tiny cameras to survey coastline security zones or ports.

Sitti, who also heads the university's NanoRobotics Lab, regularly takes inspiration from bugs, beetles, and bacteria to build his robots.

Ultimately, he'd like to create a machine that can move over land, water, fly and perhaps even climb.

"My dream is to make all-terrain robots," said Sitti. That way, "the same robot can reach a much wider range of environments for searching."

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