14 DAY TRIAL // Engineers with the Center for Biorobotics at the Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) recently announced the development of an impressive, small-scale underwater robot, called U-CAT. What separates this remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) from others is its propulsion.
The U-CAT both looks and swims like a turtle, a type of propulsion that has not been used in ROV before. The robotic turtle is therefore significantly more maneuverable than most other robotic explorers in its class, PhysOrg reports.
The purpose of the machine, which will be unveiled this week at the Robot Safari event, in London, will be to provide explorers with a new way of investigating ancient shipwrecks that have remained submerged for decades or centuries.
U-CAT features independent motion controls on each of its four flippers, which gives it a high maneuverability bonus over other machines. Also unlike other robots, U-CAT is able to navigate the tight confines usually found within sunken ships due to its small size.