Engineers Create an Amphibious Robot That Can Move Anywhere

Amphibous robots have been around for a long time, but they are all equipped with dangerous blades that can cause harm to marine animals and plants. A fundamentally different approach was demonstrated by scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and McGill University, who have made their Aqua2 machine completely safe.

The device weighs 16.5 kg. It can go 36.5 meters deep into the water and runs non-stop for 5 hours on one battery charge. Aqua2 is fully autonomous, but switch to operator control, if necessary.

The device is designed for rescue operations and monitoring of marine environment. It can be launched both from a boat and straight from the shore.

The device is marketed by Independent Robotics, a company that used to manufacture a similar device called RHex. Aqua2 is priced at $110 thousand. The manufacturer is now looking for ways to reduce the robot’s price.