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There is a new robot on the block, it is known as Meshworm, the last half of the name has the word "worm" in it, because this word signifies the appearance and movement of the robot which is quite similar to that of an earthworm ,yet it happens to be much stronger in resistance than its living counterpart. It clearly seems that the structure of the earthworm has been studied quite carefully while creating this robot, the body, its shape, the way it moves. The researchers from MIT observed that the body of the earthworm mainly uses two major groups of muscles, one which is in circular shape and wraps around the body and lets it crawl forward and the other that is is one that runs across the body and helps it move sideways towards the left and right. The tubular structure of the body have been beautifully replicated and given to the "Meshworm" It was created by the use of polymer mesh and the muscles have been developed by the use of nickel-titanium alloy. The durability factor is also taken well taken into account and even if harsh treatment is given to the robot, it is able to bear that. For the movement in the robot to be generated, the circuit board and a battery set up, so that the heat is generated and the robot starts to move. The fibrous soft structure also has been given to the robot and it maintains the flexibility of the earthworm. With this robotic invention, technology has proved to display another amazing product. We can cross our fingers and and wait for more amazement to follow. Source

While going through the daily news, I found an article about a robot designed by Harvard, they've developed a little four legged robot that crawls around & into tight spaces, the demonstration can be seen in the source. Firstly, I think it would be a hit if converted into a toy(imagining the reactions of my pets), it was amusing to just watch it wriggle around... some of the appreciative comments I got from family & friends are too crass to mention here:lol: . But.. It makes me wonder how useful can it really get in the real world.. Being able to crawl into tight spots could allow for police to check on people(make sure they are safe or if suspected to be dead) but it is pretty slow so I doubt it would be all that useful during a raid, the offenders could simply squish it the instant it starts crawling into the house Another use could be to quadriplegic or paraplegic people, with a suction mechanism, could help them pick up dropped items. Can any of you think of uses for this little robot? Source