Russia Develops Earthworm-Inspired Robot for Geological Exploration

Engineers in Russia have created a soft-bodied robotic worm that could revolutionize geological surveying by crawling through soil like its natural counterpart.

Scientists at Ural Federal University have unveiled a robotic 'earthworm' designed to support geological exploration in challenging underground environments. The bio-inspired robot is composed of flexible, deformable segments, each equipped with bristle-like actuators that enable movement through dense material.

The core segments feature three magnetostrictors that contract and expand under a magnetic field, mimicking the locomotion of a real worm. At the front, a head module is equipped with sensors to monitor environmental conditions during subsurface travel.

Though primarily designed for mineral exploration and soil research, the worm robot could also be adapted for use in medicine, industrial inspection, and even search-and-rescue missions.

The development is part of a broader trend in soft robotics, where engineers are modeling machines after biological organisms. For example, Russian scientists have also created a jellyfish-like robot capable of collecting waste particles and fragile biological samples—ideal for ecological monitoring and underwater research.