Creation of the new weapon capable to increase fighting capacity of army – a dream of generals. Therefore the Ministries of Defence often finance scientific research if they see an opportunity to use result for a victory over the opponent.
Joint group of scientists of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and National university from Seoul created the flexible robot capable to imitate the movement of an Annelida. Their work was financed by Management of perspective developments from the Pentagon. The robot is capable to get into narrow openings and to move on the twisting courses. Such ability allows to use him for collecting intelligence information.
It is not the first attempt of engineers to use "ideas" of evolution in the equipment. The whole branch of science – bionics which studies the nature and puts into practice useful features of living organisms is created. Here and the Management of perspective developments finances creation of robots animal. The robot cheetah gathers speed 29km/h now. The robot humming-bird is planned to be used in investigation. The robot dog will have to transfer heavy equipment of soldiers in distant campaigns.
The corps of the robot worm are a tube from flexible polymeric fibers with elastic filler. The tube is wound with a wire from alloy of the titan and nickel capable to heat up and extend under the influence of electric current. Hanks are conditionally divided into segments on which tension serially moves. Thus generate the impulses imitating work of a muscle. Longitudinal artificial muscles on the case set the direction of the movement. The robot who was called by Meshworm ("a mechanical worm") meanwhile gathers the speed of 5 mm/sec. Its main advantage is high mechanical durability: the corps of a worm bear blow by the hammer and, theoretically, have to survive at explosion, and the robot completely keeps working capacity. Besides Meshworm moves almost silently that too is important, considering its appointment.