Anna Konda: Slithery Superhero

By Hannah Isom

A team of researchers at SINTEF have created an intelligent super snake robot capable performing life saving operations during emergencies.

The slithery snake-bot, called Anna Konda, is freely manoeuvrable and can climb stairs, force through debris and twist around corners. In addition, the robot has an advanced water tap that can be directed by remote control to extinguish blazes.

The snake moves via robotic joints that are controlled by 20 water hydraulic motors and valves. The joint modules, which are contained within a strong steel skeleton, are controlled by custom-built electronics and can rotate around two orthogonal axes. As Pål Liljebäck of SINTEF explains, "there are angle sensors in each joint, and we can decide with complete accuracy the angle that we want in the joints. A camera in the snake's head makes operating the snake like driving a remote-controlled car. The operator can tell the snake to move from A to B, and the snake works out on its own how to accomplish this"

The ingenious part of the design is that the power needed to operate the robot can be utilised from the existing water pressure inside a fire hose. The water is pressurised to 100 bars and is capable of lifting a car off the ground, which explains how the snake could make light work of a little rubble.

The possible applications for this super snake are vast and include fighting fires too dangerous for humans, maintenance of sub-sea oil or gas installations, rescuing trapped victims in earthquakes and preventing explosions. The project manager, Øyvind Stavdahl has visions of 'a whole nest of snakes', each with different functions, slithering into an emergency situation to save the day. A PhD study is now underway at NTNU to develop a control strategy for the snake robot.