Searches for survivors at disaster sites may soon be carried out by – robot rats. Researchers have developed a mechanic critter named SQuRo (small-sized quadruped robotic rat). A team, led by Prof. Qing Shi from the Beijing Institute of Technology in China, chose the rodents as they are capable of adapting to narrow spaces owing to their elongated slim body and unrivalled agility. The robot version would be able to pass through narrow spaces and rugged terrains and perform tasks, such as detection or transportation in relevant scenarios. Video of SQuRo in action show it crouching to fit in small tunnels, turning in a tight space and even picking itself up after being kicked over. In a study published this month (April) in the journal IEEE Transactions on Robotics, the team explain how they have invested significant time in replicating certain properties and functions of rat’s biological systems. Prof. Shi’s team say they developed a wheeled robotic rat capable of multiple rat-like behaviours, then replaced wheels with legs to further enhance the movement agility. In the study, experimental results reveal that the legged robot SQuRo is capable of mimicking the motion of actual rats inside narrow spaces.