In the Atlanta Botanical garden has earned a new very slow robospanker, the creators of which were inspired by the living sloths. SlothBot, developed by engineers at Georgia Institute of Technology, working slowly, but with high energy efficiency. He will observe the animals, plants and environmental conditions, contributing, thus, to preserve it.
SlothBot is a machine about a meter in length. It consists of housing, printed on a 3D printer, inside which is placed the engine, battery system and a set of sensors. Powered by a solar panel. The robot is programmed to slowly move up and down the cable, stretched between the trees.
Built-in sensors monitor temperature, weather, and the level of carbon dioxide. Says Magnus Egerstedt, a Professor of electrical and computer engineering at Georgia Tech, he does it so patiently, to form a long term picture of the state of the environment, which can be fixed only with a constant surveillance for several months or even years.
In the video, the researchers demonstrate the capabilities SlothBot under the dome the Atlanta Botanical gardens. The robot moves up and down the cable length of 30 m. it Moves only when necessary, when it is necessary to find the light to recharge the solar battery. Further SlothBot will be able to move around and over large areas, switching from cable to cable.
Source — Georgia Tech