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A robot walks on water thanks to evolution's solution

A structure like those found on water striders’ legs keeps a robot out of the water.

While Rhagovelia leg fans were thought to morph because they were powered by muscle, he found that the appendages automatically adjusted to the surface tension and elastic forces beneath them, passively opening and closing ten times faster than it takes to blink. “Fan-induced thrust increased forward speed and allowed rapid braking as well,” Ortega-Jimenez said, adding that “The collapsibility of the fan also notably reduced the energy required for the robot to lift the leg from the water.” In the future, Rhagobot could brave turbulent waters to be a part of environmental monitoring systems, and the researchers are excited about the potential that swarms of these bots could help with search and rescue missions during storms and floods—though adding the weight of sensors and power will be a significant challenge.

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