Hamster Toy Inspires Crop-Inspecting Robot

Jun-25-13 Inspired by a hamster ball, the Rosphere propels itself along the ground without any limbs or wheels (or hamsters).

The development team, led by Juan Hernández, created a system of pendulums that swing in two different directions in order to shift the robot’s center of mass. As a pendulum swings to the right or left, Rosphere will naturally move in the opposite direction as it attempts to stabilize (the same thing happens when a hamster runs up one side of the hamster ball).

The team tested the rolling robot in a crop field, where it travelled easily through the rows to gather data on moisture levels and take measurements, and also is a park, where it was able to move about without interfering with the people. Ultimately, the team hope Rosphere could be used as a low-cost system for moisture monitoring in precision agriculture.

More Info about this Invention:

[DISCOVERY.COM]
[UNIVERSIDAD POLYTECNICA DE MADRI]

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