For someone who loves robots and hates spiders, Asterisk presents a dilemma. This “insect-inspired” robot has six legs instead of eight, but those with strong cases of arachnophobia may still experience some willies. But what Asterisk lacks in aesthetics it gains in versatility.
The robot, designed at Japan’s Osaka University, can climb stairs, roll under low clearances, hang upside-down, spin in place, and use a wire to lower itself down to the ground from up high.
The designers started with the idea of building a bot that could help in disaster situations, and think it could also play an important role in building maintenance.
Asterisk can even do cartwheels. We’re not quite sure how that will come in handy in the aftermath of a disaster, but we’ll take it.
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