Video of the Day: Worm-like robot moves its body in wavelike motion

A team of engineers from the Bio-Inspired and Medical Robotics Lab at  Ben Gurion University of the Negev has created a robot based on the movements of a worm. The bot, called SAW (single actuator wave-like robot), is the first robot to produce a pure wave-like motion with a single motor.

The robot was developed using 3D-printing technology and contains passive wheels that are used only for steering purposes.

The team’s video, seen below. demonstrates how the robot can crawl over different surfaces, as well as climb and swim. SAW reaches a maximum speed of 57 cm/s — five times faster than any other robot of its kind.

Watch it go!

Video via Bio-Inspired and Medical Robotics Lab.