Snake-Like RoBoa Robot Navigates Disaster Zones to Aid Rescue Efforts
- tech360.tv
- Aug 13, 2025
- 2 min read
A snake-inspired robot developed by students at ETH Zurich is slithering into disaster zones too dangerous for traditional machines, offering new hope for search and rescue missions.
The RoBoa, created at the Autonomous Systems Lab of ETH Zurich, is designed to navigate through rubble and debris in areas affected by natural disasters or conflict. Its flexible, inflatable body allows it to move like a snake, reaching places inaccessible to wheeled or tracked robots.
Equipped with a sensor-packed head and a live camera feed, RoBoa is remotely controlled and can locate survivors trapped under collapsed structures. The robot’s body is made of an inflatable fabric tube connected to a supply box that houses pressurised air, rolled-up tubing, computing systems and electronics.
An earlier prototype had a reach of 10 metres and successfully located a person in a collapsed building. The current version can extend up to 100 metres and features a pneumatically adjustable diameter to adapt to different environments. It is operated using a handheld wireless remote.
RoBoa can also be fitted with a speaker and microphone to enable communication with survivors. Developers are exploring the possibility of using it to deliver water, food and medicine through debris.
Beyond rescue operations, the robot’s head can be adapted for inspection, environmental monitoring and mapping. It is designed to function on dirty or slippery surfaces and is safe for use in explosive environments, where sparks could pose a risk.
The project has evolved into a startup with plans for commercial release, supported by an ETH Pioneer Fellowship.
RoBoa is a snake-like robot developed by ETH Zurich students for disaster response
It can extend up to 100 metres and navigate through rubble to locate survivors
The robot is remotely controlled and equipped with sensors and a live camera
Source: NEW ATLAS
