Robot Rescue Rat
07/03/09 - Amazing
“A robotic rat which can scurry through the dark using its plastic whiskers as sensors could eventually help rescue people from smoke-filled buildings, scientists said today. The SCRATCHbot can track down objects using its sensory whiskers and was today called a ’significant milestone’ in the development of animal-inspired artificial intelligence. Its creators at the Bristol Robotics Lab and the University of Sheffield said robots which use sensory feelers, rather than vision, were much more effective in the dark or in smoky rooms – rescue conditions.” w/ photos
