Scandinavian Scientists Designing Robotic Snakes

Cowards Anonymous writes "The Sintef Group, a research company based in Trondheim, Norway, announced that it's designing a robot based on snakes. The 1.5-meter long robots, which are made of aluminum, are being designed to inspect and clean complicated industrial pipe systems that are typically narrow and inaccessible to humans. The intelligent robots have multiple joints to enable them to twist vertically and climb up through pipe systems to locate leaks in water systems, inspect oil and gas pipelines and clean ventilation systems."

snakes eat rats

Then they'll have to design robotic rats too, so the robotic snakes have something to eat.

Re:snakes eat rats

Then we need robotic mongooses for when the snakes get out of control.

Re:snakes eat rats

And they live on planes, we'll have to design robotic planes too...

Re:

I'm sure that's just going to be a robot in disguise.

Re:

I still haven't found out the reason why she did that.

The toilet...

Just imagine sitting and having "deep thoughts" and then all of a sudden that robotic snake overlord poking you from under

Where is John Connor when you need him?

Pigs Begat Snakes

More than you ever wanted to know about devices that inspect/clean, etc. the internals of pipes [ppsa-online.com]. These snakes sound like a logical next step. Boring to you, fascinating to me.

Re:Pigs Begat Snakes

LOL Not at all uninteresting to me. Actually, I'll take the off-topic hit if required. Have you seen the robots that go down 'em and weld 'em up and then the one that goes behind it and checks the weld? I guess they can do all of that in one single unit now but I had/have a buddy who's job it was to drive a remote control car (basically) up the pipes before and after. Because he's one of the greatest bullshitters of all time I was able to go with him and enjoy a few of the jobs he worked on when he was in my area. It isn't just interesting, it is fascinating to some of us.

planes!

Robot snakes on a plane?

Re:

Robot snakes on every plane!

There's got to be some application for these...

on a plane.

Snakes...

...Why'd it have to be snakes?

I can only assume this is somehow related to another Indiana Jones movie.

Re:Snakes...

If you're think of Harrison Ford and robotic snakes, you must be thinking of Blade Runner.

Re:Snakes...

Mind you, moose bites kan be pretty nasty.

Re:

"Scandinavians long for warmer weather"

That's why SUVs are gaining popularity in Norway :-D

Re:

Hey, you forgot about the parrots!

Bad Ass Snakes!

The summery looks awfully similar to things CMU has already done - see hack a day [hackaday.com]

Damn robotic snakes!

I want these mutha fuckin robotic snakes out these mutha fuckin complicated industrial pipe systems!

I'm sure this is very useful, but it's not new

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/06/robotic-snake-moves-by-pushing-off-obstacles/ [engadget.com] I remember reading an article about a guy designing robotic snakes more than 10 years ago. Hardly surprising that they have found an application for them now.

Just wait...

In time, they will miniaturize the things a bit more, and use it to inspect our pipes. I can already picture the nurse saying "Now this is not going to hurt a bit, just bend over and I'll insert this tiny little robotic thing (BoaScope TM), and it'll be over in a minute. If you feel it squirming inside you, it's all perfectly normal, dear."

Would those snakes be running...

Python?

Re:Would those snakes be running...

I don't know, but their website runs ASP [sintef.no]

Re:

Well, it'd have to be IronPython for a robotic snake, so the ASP figures :P

The inevitable Hollywood blockbuster...

..."Snakes in a Drain"

Re:

That's actually a misconception however. Denmark is incorrectly labelled as part of Scandinavia, even by supposedly reputable sources. Scandinavia is the peninsula named after the mountain range on it, the Scandic mountains. Ever since Sweden kicked Denmark out of their holdings on the peninsula(Including parts of what is now Sweden, and all of Norway), they haven't been part of Scandinavia.

However, it carries a lot of political inertia, especially when people equate the Nordic Countries(Sweden, Denmark, No