Bat-like robots could soon be used to find lost people, especially in places that are hard to reach.
(Photo : Photo by ANDREAS SOLARO/AFP via Getty Images)
A technician (Rear) drives "Spot", a quadruped robot developped by Boston Dynamics, on June 9, 2022 as it is displayed inspecting a tunnel during a presentation to the media at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, near Naples, southern Italy.
This could be possible thanks to the ongoing development conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto.
Experts said that they were inspired by bats and other animals with echolocation abilities.
Because of this, they decided to work on an advanced echolocation system that can be integrated into robots.
Bat-Like Robots Could Soon Help Find Lost People
According to Engadget's latest report, the University of Toronto researchers want to give small robots the capability to navigate in hard-to-reach places.
(Photo : Photo credit should read THOMAS LOHNES/DDP/AFP via Getty Images)
An employee of the zoo in Frankfurt/M. holds a short-tailed leaf-nosed bat during the zoo's annual stocktaking 20 December 2006. The fruit-eating bats are native to Central and South America. The function of their noseleaves is still unknown, but scientists suspect that it plays a role in projection of echolocation calls.
Also Read: YouTubers Create a Massive Spider Robot 'Megahex' that May be the Biggest of its Kind Yet
They want to do this without relying on expensive components that are too heavy or too large for tiny machines.
With their efforts, they were able to achieve their plan. To make this possible, they used an interactive puck robot's audio hardware and developed an audio extension deck using cheap speakers and microphones.
They integrated all these components into a tiny flying drone that can fit in the palm of a human's hand.
Echolocation System for Small Bots
Involved scientists explained their plans in their study titled "Blind as a Bat: Audible Echolocation on Small Robots," which was published in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.
They proposed using an end-to-end pipeline for sound-based mapping and localization.
This component would be designed for robots integrated with low-end microphones and buzzers.
"The method is model-based, runs in real time, and requires no prior calibration or training," they explained.
As of press time, researchers are still improving their new echolocation tech since it is not as accurate as the existing larger models.
They are hoping to create a more accurate echolocation system that only relies on the sounds naturally made by robots.
If you want to learn more details about their ongoing echolocation system development, you can visit this link.
Other stories we recently wrote about robotics:
Previously, a smell-identifying robot was created.
We also reported on the development of a new self-healing robot.
For more news updates about robots and other machines, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.
Related Article: 'Fairy Robots' Powered by Wind, Light May One Day Become Artificial Pollinators
