The “whole-skin locomotion” developed by Dennis Hong and Mark Ingram, at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University draws its inspiration from the amoeba.

Instead of using wheels or legs to move, the outer surface of a robot is turned into the traction that propels it forward. The robot’s body can squeeze between obstacles, through holes, traverse uneven surfaces and maneuver into tight places, making it ideal for exploring everything from a digestive tract to a disaster zone.

“Since the entire skin is used for locomotion, the robot can move as long as any surface of the robot is in contact with the environment,” said Hong.

The motion is similar to how amoebae move. Hong and Ingram constructed a sausage-like device that is hollow down the center and covered in a flexible membrane. The skin design allows the robot to turn itself inside out in a single, continuous motion. The skin moves either by contracting and expanding or by embedded ring-shaped devices that contract and expand, forcing the skin to slide forward.

Via Discovery: News.