Robot Whiskers

TomboT · Robot Whiskers

With their dismal vision, rats rely on their whiskers to navigate the junkyards and sewers they call home. Now, a pair of mechanical engineers has devised a mathematical model that tries to mimic how animals use their whiskers to build a mental picture of their environment, and they've built a robot that works on the same principles. Such "biomimetic" whiskers might one day enhance the navigation of robotic vehicles used to explore other planets and underwater environments here on Earth.