Creepy Fraunhofer Spider Robot Can Help Scout Hazardous Areas

Sadly, few of my fellow SlashGear geeks are familiar with the flick Saturn 5 and the massive case of the creeps that Hector gave me as a kid. Therefore, they can't really understand how creepy this spider robot is to me. Granted this spider bot can't go insane with lust for Farah and wear my head as a mask so it's not so bad.

The idea behind this spider robot prototype is that the highly mobile nature of a spider design will allow the bot to traverse small and cramped spaces where humans can't go. The researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute that designed the robot envision it being used in hazardous environments and situations like industrial plants with gas leaks or radiation danger.

The spider is designed with a range of ways to move around. Apparently, some of the designs can jump to get around obstacles. The jumping motion is possible thanks to the design that has hydraulically operated bellows drives that serve as joints. High levels of body pressure built up allow the fluid to be pumped into the legs allowing the spider bot to move and jump. The researchers think the robot would be able to be produced at a low cost as well.