Velox is a drone, generator, and robotic animal all in one. It can cover nearly every type of terrain on land and make way through water, transitioning seamlessly between the two different environments. Since it was initially designed to be a green generator, it can charge itself as it moves. Lately, there’s been lots of news with the Boston Dynamics family of robots. There’s the four-legged Cheetah that can do backflips, Spot working with the police and in clinics helping out with the coronavirus pandemic, Atlas, who can dance better than most people, and Handle diligently moving parcels. Velox is different. For one, it has no legs. Yet, it can crawl and swim. Its creepy and graceful mobility comes from a pair of undulating fins that were designed to harness the power of the ocean.
The evolution of generator to amphibious robot caught the attention of investors like the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research. They wanted a robot that could traverse different types of terrain with ease. Such institutions see Velox as the ultimate tool for surveillance missions thanks to its stealth characteristics. Plus, it’s resistant to entanglement in aquatic debris and can crawl on sand, snow, and ice. Once Pliant Energy Systems decided to make a robot, it looked to the animal kingdom for inspiration. Velox’s potential goes beyond a well-capable surveillance drone. The team envisions it can serve as a propulsion system for divers, drag victims out of frozen water, and replace traditional boat propellers on vehicles that need to plow through debris-filled waters. The machine is scalable, so the possibilities are endless!
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