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
A flexible robot. Video: OC Robotics

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Appearance

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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
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