SUTD Researchers Create Robot That Falls Like Maple Seed, Sails Like Boat
Researchers at SUTD have developed a hybrid robot called ALBATROSS that mimics maple seeds to land on water and then uses its wings as sails. This design allows for rapid aerial deployment followed by long-duration environmental monitoring.
Why it matters
This innovation provides a cost-effective and efficient way to monitor remote aquatic environments that are difficult to access via traditional methods.
Remote waters are difficult to monitor. Boats can take a long time to reach them, while aircraft cannot remain there for extended periods.
To close that gap, researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed a nature-inspired robotic platform. Released from the air, it lands on water, rights itself and then sails autonomously using wind energy.
Called ALBATROSS, short for Airborne Lander with Buoyant AuToROtating Sailing Sensor, the concept platform is designed to reach remote waters quickly and in future deployments, remain there monitoring environmental conditions for weeks at a time.
"Surface systems are useful because they can remain at sea, but they are constrained by how long it takes to get to the target location," said Professor Foong Shaohui, Associate Head of the Engineering Product Development Pillar at SUTD.
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