The humble octopus is a fascinating creature in many respects, not least for how it gets around in the water. See, an octopus is actually a living jet engine: It draws in water and forces it out at incredible speed, ripping through the ocean. So, needless to say, we just had to make a robot that does that.
The device in question is actually pretty clever. It uses the same basic principle as the octopus; it fills a bladder with water, not unlike a balloon. Unlike a balloon, though, it has a polycarbonate framework, so as the water escapes, the robot becomes a more aerodynamic shape instead of a floppy dead worm.
The results? It goes from zero to 60mph in one second. To give you an idea of how amazing that is, currently the fastest production car on the market, the 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder, goes zero to 60 in 2.2 seconds. And it’s not underwater.
Even better, as the robot is scaled up, it might be able to go faster and further. That would allow better underwater submersibles and faster underwater robots. And it would also be pretty cool to ride a robot octopus. Really, DARPA should already be working on this.
Via The Mary Sue