The team of Kaushik Jayaram, a researcher in CU Boulder’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, has created mCLARI: tiny robots that weigh less than a gram and can squeeze through slits as narrow as a coin. Designed to move with extreme precision, mCLARI takes inspiration from the insectoid world to traverse spaces impossible for humans.
Its size, however, limits its autonomy. It cannot carry batteries or bulky components. That’s where its ally comes in: an inflatable robot developed at Purdue, shaped like a flexible vine that inflates and snakes through harsh environments, carrying mCLARI to the inspection point.
Robotic synergy for security
Once deployed, mCLARI uses cameras and sensors to capture real-time data inside engines, infrastructure or hard-to-reach cavities. It is then picked up by the inflatable robot to return undamaged, optimizing operation times and maintenance costs.
This robotic collaboration, supported by a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Air Force, seeks to solve an urgent problem: safe and efficient access to hazardous locations where mechanical failures can have fatal consequences. According to recent data, 15% of aircraft accidents are related to technical defects.
Beyond the aerospace industry
Although initially intended for industrial industrial inspectionsAlthough initially intended for industrial inspections, researchers envision other applications. In disaster situations, these robots could explore debris to locate trapped people. They could also monitor forest areas for environmental hazards.
Even a future medical use is contemplated. If scaled down further and biocompatible materials are used, these devices could be introduced into the human body to detect blood clots or deliver localized treatments.
Tiny robots weighing less than 1 gram for precise inspection
Jayaram and his team’s proposal does not seek to replace human labor, but to extend its reach. Thanks to the combination of specialized robotsIt is possible to inspect environments that previously required complex disassembly or could not be evaluated at all.
This line of research represents a new approach in applied robotics: collaboration between complementary systems, inspired by nature, capable of taking on tasks with an unprecedented level of detail and adaptability.
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Source and photo: University of California at Boulder
