Engineers at ETH Zurich developed a robot snake that could reach areas humans, drones, or other robots couldn’t. RoBoa is designed to slither through rubble and debris following a disaster. In addition, the robotic reptile can nimbly maneuver through pipes and sewers.

The snake-like robot is soft and pneumatic, making it ideal for situations involving sparks or explosions.

RoBoa

Like a real snake, the RoBoa moves without needing traction. The robot’s exterior is a soft fabric that reduces friction. It’s capable of slithering over dirty, sticky, or gravelly terrain. Currently, the RoBoa extends up to 328 feet long. The robot’s small but adjustable diameter of 1.9 to 3.9 inches allows it to squeeze into the tightest spaces that other devices or humans could never fit into.

Because of its soft exterior, RoBoa is gentle on humans and delicate surfaces, minimizing damage. Additionally, it has a modular actuator that allows precise 360-degree steering in all directions. A supply line provides critical liquids such as water, food, medicines, or cleaning agents. RoBoa is controlled by an operator and provides real-time situation monitoring, making it versatile for industrial and emergency applications.

According to the team, the system is “ideal for inspecting pipes, sewers, or tanks in industries such as wastewater, power, and chemicals.” This makes the robot an ideal candidate for search and rescue missions that involve searching confined spaces.

For example, after an earthquake, RoBoa can enter a collapsed building, communicate with victims, send them water, and relay information back to the operator.

“Through its active locomotion and steering system, RoBoa reaches much further into sewers than traditional push cameras,” states the website. “RoBoa visually inspects and can perform maintenance tasks.”

According to the researchers, they collaborated with Swiss rescue troops. Their collaboration highlighted the limitations of wheel-based movement in confined spaces, leading the team to suggest growth-based locomotion.

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