Researchers at the University of Leeds were inspired by the
feet of tree frogs to create a model for a surgical robot. The imitation of the
tree frog feet will allow the robot to crawl inside patients’ bodies during
keyhole surgery.
The designed robot will be able to move across the internal
abdominal walls of a patient with an attached video device, allowing surgeons
to be able to see what they are doing.
Professor Anne Neville, Lead researcher and Royal Academy of
Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies at the University of Leeds, stated,
"Tree frogs have hexagonal patterned channels on their feet that when in
contact with a wet surface build capillary bridges, and hence an adhesion force.
It is the same kind of idea as a beer glass sticking to a beer mat, but the
patterns build a large number of adhesion points that allow our robot to move
around on a very slippery surface when it is upside down."
Further research will be done to reduce the size and weight
of the designed prototype.
Published by: Robotic Trends
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