--- title: "Scientists Prototype “Creeping” Lizard-Like Robot for Exploring Mars" description: "Move over, Mars rover — a new reptilian robot may one day crawl the Red Planet's barren shores in the name of discovery and research." date: "2023-02-07" modified: "2023-02-07" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/mars-lizard-robot" categories: - "Astronomy" - "Mars" - "Space" tags: - "mars" - "robotics" - "space robots" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Prototype “Creeping” Lizard-Like Robot for Exploring Mars ![Move over, Mars rover — a new reptilian robot may one day crawl the Red Planet's barren shores in the name of discovery and research.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Reptilia Robotica Move over, [Mars rover]() — a new reptilian robot may one day crawl the Red Planet's barren surface instead, all in the name of exploration. Researchers at China's Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics have unveiled a prototype for their diminutive robot that was, as the scientists acknowledged in their [recent paper published in MDPI's *Biometrics* journal](), directly inspired by lizards. "Due to the fact that the surface \[of Mars\] is composed of granular soils and rocks of various sizes, contemporary rovers can have difficulties in moving on soft soils and climbing over rocks," the Nanjing robotics researchers wrote. "To overcome such difficulties, this research develops a quadruped creeping robot inspired by the locomotion characteristics of the desert lizard." ## Testing, Testing In their paper, the roboticists revealed how our four-legged reptilian friend inspired the design, from a flexible spine appendage to assist it with the fluidity of motion, to the four separate "toes" on each of its four feet. "The leg structure utilizes a four-linkage mechanism, which ensures a steady lifting motion," the Nanjing team wrote. "The foot consists of an active ankle and a round pad with four flexible toes that are effective in grasping soils and rocks." To see how well this cute little robot would fare on the dusty, irradiated surface of Mars, its creators first ran a number of simulations of various Martian scenarios it may encounter. The team 3D printed their prototype and put it to work on a "testbed" built to resemble the surface of our closest planetary neighbor. Results from both sets of tests, the researchers noted, were promising: their robot seemed to be up to the challenges presented by Mars' inhospitable surface, crossing their testbed with ease. Looking forward, the researchers wrote that they're pursuing new machine-learning models that could help this little guy "self-adapt" to the Martian terrain. They're also investigating ways to help it keep its battery charged when it's off-world. It'll most certainly be years before a funky little robot like this lizard makes landfall on Mars — but in the meantime, it's always fun to imagine it scuttling around on the Red Planet. **More on Mars:** [*Suggestion: NASA Should Make Its Mars Helicopter Do Some Gnarly Tricks From "Tony Hawk"*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()