As it demonstrates its incredible ability to precisely follow a pre-determined path while seemingly hanging in mid-air, OC Robotics’ Series II – X125 system snakebot is also doing a really good job at being incredibly unsettling. Especially for those of us who hate snakes (robotic or real) and now realize there’s pretty much no place left for us to hide from them.
Childhood fears aside, the technology being demonstrated here is fantastic, and lends itself to some very practical uses. The swappable head can be outfitted with a camera for performing visual inspections in dangerous areas, because the robot snake can maneuver around debris or obstacles without touching a single thing. Or you can toss a high-pressure water jet on the end, making this the ultimate remote control auger for dealing with clogs or dirt. [YouTube via OC Robotics via IEEE Spectrum]
