Salamandra robotica II

A black salamander shaped robot with four flipper feet and a segmented body with a tail.
The newest generation of EPFL's salamander-based robot. Photo: Alessandro Crespi/EPFL

Salamandra robotica II is an amphibious robot inspired by the salamander's anatomy and nervous system. It's used to study robot locomotion and test neurobiological models in real environments.

Creator

Biorobotics Laboratory at EPFL

Year
2012
Country
Switzerland 🇨🇭
Categories
Features
Salamandra walking and swimming outdoors. Video: EPFL Biorobotics Laboratory

More videos

Rate this Robot

Overall Rating

Would you want this robot?

Appearance

Neutral

Did you know?

The robot will keep moving even if you cut it into two or more parts.

The black and yellow salamander robot swims in a shallow tub of water.
An amphibious robot. Photo: Kostas Karakasiliotis/EPFL

History

The first incarnation of the Salamandra robotica, created at EPFL Biorobotics Laboratory led by Prof. Auke Ijspeert, was a proof-of-concept design built with some modules from another robot called AmphiBot, in addition to some rudimentary leg modules. After that, the robot received major upgrades, and the EPFL team used the new design, the Salamandra robotica I, in several experiments. In 2013, the researchers unveiled Salamandra robotica II, which has more degrees of freedom (leg modules are not rigidly fixed to the body) and can walk and swim faster and more nimbly. They've since built more advanced salamander-like robots that can accurately capture the degrees of freedom, range of motion, and gait behaviors of the real animal.

The robot is approaching the camera while walking on wet sand.
Salamandra loves the beach. Photo: Kostas Karakasiliotis/EPFL
A salamander-inspired robot strolls on the beach next to a large log and water.
It really doesn't want to go back to the lab. Photo: Kostas Karakasiliotis/EPFL

Specs

Overview

Control system uses a mathematical model of the salamander's spinal cord. Able to move on land or in water and transition between environments.

Status

Ongoing

Year

2012

Website
Length
110 cm
Weight
2.5 kg
Speed
1.9 km/h (walking or swimming)
Sensors

Rotary encoders for motors. Head with infrared sensor.

Actuators

12 2.83-watt Faulhaber DC motors with custom plastic gearbox.

Degrees of Freedom (DoF)
12 (Body: 8 DoF; Limbs: 4 DoF)
Materials

Polyurethane resin

Compute

ARM-based LPC2129 32-bit 60-MHz main microcontroller; 868 MHz bidirectional radio link for control; eight PIC18F2580 microcontrollers for low-level functions; 12 PIC16F876A as controllers for the motors.

Software

Custom software written in C.

Power

Seven 600-mAh and two 1200-mAh lithium-ion batteries.