Wall Climbing Robot

Robotics make interesting gadgets and new inventions. This new tech gadget is no exception because it can actually climb walls.

The robot named ROCR (pronounced "rocker") is an oscillating climbing robot that mimics the motion of human rock climbers and combines it with the motion of apes swinging through trees.

Details of this new tech gadget were published in the journal of Transactions and Mechantronics.

How It Works

The upper body has two steel hand-claws that grip a wall and a tail that swings.


As the tail swings the from side to side the hand-claws reach up, one hand at a time, pulling the body upwards.


When the tail swings it causes a shift in the center of gravity that raises the robots free hand, which then grips the climbing surface.


The ROCR is powered by four 9-volt batteries that are attached to the tail.
"It mimics a gibbon swinging through the trees and a grandfather clock's pendulum, both of which are extremely efficient," says inventor William Provancher, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Utah.

Future Use

There are gadgets and new inventions used for inspection, surveillance and even maintenance but Provancher believes the ROCR is be a better alternative.


"Climbing robots have focused on issues such as speed, adhering to the wall, and deciding how and where to move, but ROCR is the first to focus on climbing efficiently," says Provancher.


Sensors and cameras could be mounted on the robot to provide live feeds of inspections. It could look for things like failures in the concrete on dams, buildings and bridges.