One robot crawls like an insect. The other inflates and slithers like a snake. On their own, these tiny machines might not seem like much.
But together, they could change the way we inspect the inner workings of planes, buildings, and other complex machines—making inspections faster, safer, and less expensive.
Kaushik Jayaram, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, is leading this effort to rethink how we check the safety of machines and structures.
By taking inspiration from nature—specifically insects and vines—his team has created a pair of robots that can squeeze into the tiniest spaces where humans and traditional tools can’t go.
The project is a collaboration with Laura Blumenschein at Purdue University and has already earned a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
The goal is to prove that these small, flexible robots can handle big tasks when working as a team.
Jayaram’s microrobot, called mCLARI, is no bigger than a coin and weighs less than a gram. Despite its size, it can crawl with amazing precision and fit through cracks as small as a penny. But it has a major limitation: it’s too small to carry the batteries or electronics it needs to work on its own for long periods.
That’s where the vine-like robot comes in. Developed by Blumenschein, this inflatable robot grows like a plant, curling through tight spaces and carrying heavier gear.
In Jayaram’s vision, the snake robot delivers mCLARI directly to the inspection site, like a robotic Uber.
Once it arrives, mCLARI can use its sensors and tiny camera to gather real-time data and transmit it for analysis. After the job is done, the little robot hops back on, and the duo slithers out.
This system could be a gamechanger for inspecting places like jet engines, bridges, or even underground tunnels—places that are hard to reach but critical to public safety. Jayaram notes that mechanical failures cause nearly 15% of aviation accidents, and many disasters could be prevented with better inspection tools.
Beyond machinery, Jayaram sees endless potential for the robots. They could be used for monitoring wildfires, responding to disasters like building collapses, or even exploring inside the human body.
With future developments in materials and miniaturization, these robots could one day help detect blood clots or deliver medicine in hard-to-reach areas.
By combining nature-inspired design with robotics, Jayaram’s team is building a new generation of inspection tools—ones that are small, smart, and ready to take on some of the biggest safety challenges we face.
