Burrowing Robot Could Explore the Moons of Jupiter

It’s not the great worms of Arrakis, but these burrowing robots might do for exploring the moons of Jupiter. Here’s more from Science Focus:

To move horizontally through the ground, the robot imitates the burrowing sand octopus: blowing air from its tip in asymmetrical directions to overcome the resistance of the sand and get from A to B. This is referred to as air fluidisation, as it keeps the solid particles of sand moving, much like the particles within a fluid.

“Unlike in a gas or liquid, a symmetric object moving horizontally through a granular media experiences lift. It is simply easier to push the sand up and out of the way than it is to compact it down,” said Dr Nicholas Naclerio, lead author of the research.

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