Watch a robot dog run underwater

MAB Robotics Tuesday showcased the latest trick from its Honey Badger robot. In a video, the quadruped is seen running along the bottom of a pool. Legs don’t generally make more sense than propellers or other more standard methods of underwater robot locomotion, but the video demonstrates a sense of robustness and dynamism not often seen in such sophisticated systems.

The Polish firm points to search and rescue as a potential application for a land-dwelling robot that doesn’t mind taking a dip.

“Developing locomotion systems capable of navigating the challenges of underwater terrain is a fascinating journey and I’m excited about the potential impact this work could have on inspection and maintenance services in flooded areas,” MAB co-founder and CEO Jakub Bartoszek says in a LinkedIn post.

Search and rescue has been an important application for autonomous robot systems, sparing humans from having to make the trip into dangerous areas following natural or human-made disasters.