Explorer

A red, snake-like segmented robot is piped through a hold in a wall. Fiery sparks are directed out of it's triangular front piece. — Laser snake. Need we say more? Photo: OC Robotics

The Explorer snake-arm robot is a flexible manipulator designed to operate in confined spaces or hazardous environments. You can attach cameras and tools to its head, including high-powered lasers, water jets, grippers, and sensors.

Creator

OC Robotics

Year

2009

Country

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Categories

Features

Did you know?

Snake-arm robots are often used for inspection tasks, in areas ranging from the inside of aircraft wings to nuclear power plants.

A red, snake-like segmented robot moves between pipes with a gripper hand reaching towards the pipe in front of it. — The robot uses its swab tool to collect radioactive samples. Photo: OC Robotics

A metal segmented robot with a camera system and bright lights shines on some pipes. — OC Robotics' Safire snake inspects a pipe system. Photo: OC Robotics

More Images

A person manipulates a game controller while looking at a monitor that shows the snake robot moving through an industrial space. — It's fun to control the snakebot. Photo: OC Robotics

A long, tightly segmented robot with lights and camera on it's end protrudes from a large treaded tank base to inspect wires in the distance. — A snake robot on tank treads. Photo: OC Robotics.

Close-up of two thin, long, black tubes with lights on the end moving into a cube with a hole on top. — Steerable endoscopes created by OC Robotics. Photo: OC Robotics

Specs

Overview: Modular design with different diameters and length configurations. Equipped with independently controlled joints, diameters down to 10 mm and payloads of up to 20 kg.
Status: Ongoing
Year: 2009
Website: ocrobotics.com
Width: 10 cm
Length: 250 cm
Weight: 10 kg
Sensors: Cameras. Other sensors optional.
Actuators: Up to 48 brushless DC motors
Degrees of Freedom (DoF): 32 (Each link: 2 DoF x up to 16 links)
Materials: Metal links with metal or carbon fiber skin.
Compute: Control and simulation unit
Software: Windows OS. Custom software.
Power: 110-V to 240-V AC power supply