KAIST Develops Quadrupedal Robot 'MARVEL'
Climbs Anywhere with Magnetic Surfaces
Moves Up to 42m Per Minute on Walls
Can Carry Equipment Weighing Up to 37kg
Deployed in Hazardous Locations Instead of Humans

'MARVEL', developed by Professor Hae-Won Park's team at KAIST, is climbing a rusty and dusty storage tank. Image provided by KAIST.

[Financial News] The team led by Professor Hae-Won Park from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed a quadrupedal robot called 'MARVEL' that can climb any surface where a magnet can adhere. Despite weighing only 8kg, MARVEL can carry more than 37kg of equipment or cargo and climb up to 42m per minute.

'MARVEL', developed by the team led by Professor Hae-Won Park at KAIST, is climbing a rusty and dusty storage tank. Image provided by KAIST.

This quadrupedal robot can be deployed for the inspection, repair, and maintenance of large iron structures such as ships, bridges, pylons, large storage facilities, and construction sites, replacing humans. On the 26th, Professor Hae-Won Park stated, "With the recent strengthening of regulations and penalties due to the Serious Accident Punishment Act, deploying robots in hazardous workplaces can prevent safety accidents and increase productivity and efficiency." 

This robot ascended an iron wall at a speed of 42m per minute. Additionally, it moved at a speed of 30m per minute while hanging upside down from a ceiling. The research team explained, "This is the world's fastest climbing speed for a bipedal climbing robot." 

The research team also conducted experiments on water tanks painted and tainted with dust or rust. As a result, MARVEL was able to climb at a speed of 21m per minute and easily overcame obstacles protruding 5cm high, demonstrating its potential for real-world applications.

Professor Hae-Won Park (left), along with doctoral students Yong Um (center) and Seung-Woo Hong (right), are observing 'MARVEL' as it climbs a wall. Image provided by KAIST.

The quadrupedal robot 'MARVEL' features Electropermanent Magnets that operate based on electromagnetic force and Magneto-Rheological Elastomers that mix magnetic-response agents like iron powder in rubber composite materials for the feet. It is designed to quickly turn the adhesive force of the magnets on or off while maintaining high adhesion even on uneven surfaces. Unlike conventional electromagnets, electropermanent magnets can be turned on and off with short current pulses without consuming energy to maintain magnetic force. By using Magneto-Rheological Elastomers on the robot's feet, magnetic force preservation is possible even on rough walls, enhancing friction capabilities. Although the feet of the robot weigh just 169g, they exhibit exceptional vertical suction and friction abilities using electropermanent magnets and Magneto-Rheological Elastomers. In other words, these robot feet do not detach from iron plates under vertical loads of up to 54.5kg and horizontal loads up to 45.4kg. This robotic achievement was published in the international journal 'Science Robotics', with Seung-Woo Hong and Yong Um from KAIST's Department of Mechanical Engineering as co-first authors, featuring on the December issue cover. 
#Robotics #KAIST #MARVEL #SeriousAccidentPunishmentAct #Pylon 

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