The University of Canterbury has created a new robotic locomotion across a vertical plane. The bot uses air to create a contactless suction force to hold the weight on any surface. It can even traverse gaps on walls as well. The method of hold is based on the Festo Bernoulli Gripper (FBG). Originally designed to transport solar wafers at high speeds during manufacturing, the FBG has minimal contact with the surface, leaves no residue, and is low-noise. The FBG forces air out fast enough to create a suction, lifting force, while allowing the entire device to glide on the forced out jets.
With this bot, the FBG has been redesigned. To form a stronger type of jet, a 25 μm air outlet forces the air jets to push supersonics speeds, Mach 3 to be exact. This process allows for a FBG that is 5 times as strong as the conventional wafer moving counterpart, and still retains the low noise. Researchers claim their FBG will be available soon for around $100 USD.
Eavesdropper
