A robot that grows like a vine may one day listen for people trapped under rubble
A soft tube robot that grows like a plant vine carried five microphones and worked out where a sound came from. In a quiet lab, curling it into a loop pinned down the sound's direction to within about 1 degree.
Why it matters
After an earthquake, rescuers listen for shouts or tapping under collapsed buildings. Today they place microphones on top of the rubble, which is slow and keeps the microphones far from the person. A robot that grows into narrow gaps could carry many microphones inside the pile instead. This test used a loudspeaker in a calm laboratory, not real wreckage with echoes and dust, so it shows the idea is workable rather than ready to use.
Who's behind it: Sebastian Lorca Godoy and colleagues, Unknown.
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