--- title: "We’re Deeply Alarmed By This Robodog That Can Climb Up Walls" description: "Robodogs can be both cute and scary, and now researchers in Korea say they've developed one that can climb walls and ceilings faster than its rivals." date: "2022-12-18" modified: "2022-12-18" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/robodog-that-climbs-walls" categories: - "Robot Dogs" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "robodog" - "robots" - "the digest" --- # We’re Deeply Alarmed By This Robodog That Can Climb Up Walls ![Robodogs can be both cute and scary, and now researchers in Korea say they've developed one that can climb walls and ceilings faster than its rivals.]() *\Image: MARVEL / Futurism\* ## Such Great Heights There's not a lot of burgeoning tech out there that so often vacillates between being [cute]() and [absolutely horrifying]() as robodogs. In a further baffling twist, they're now able to, uh, climb walls like giant bugs. Yes, you heard that right. Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed a four-legged robot that can climb up iron and steel walls and ceilings, as described a [study]() published in the journal *Science Robotics* on Wednesday. They call it MARVEL, short for Magnetically Adhesive Robot for Versatile and Expeditious Locomotion, and it only weighs about 18 pounds and isn't any larger than a tiny puppy at roughly 13 in long. MARVEL isn't the first robot that can climb walls, but unlike most others, it makes use of magnetic legs rather than wheels, grippers, suction cups, or propellers. It's also seriously dexterous, its designers say, adroitly navigating curved surfaces like that of a rusted metal storage tank, in part thanks to its innovative feet that use electro-magnets and a cutting edge, rubber-like smart material known as magnetorheological elastomers. ## Up and Up That kind of skill with its feet will be a key selling point of the robot, as its creators uphold its potential to be used in industrial environments to inspect bridges, ships, and buildings, especially at high heights that would be dangerous for humans. It's also speedy. During testing, MARVEL was able to climb up a curved storage tank at a maximum speed of just over one foot per second, avoiding protrusions and stepping over obstacles like four inch gaps along the way. On easier surfaces like flat walls and ceilings, the robot climbed as fast as 1.6 feet per second and over two feet per second, respectively. According to the researchers, that "demonstrates the fastest vertical and inverted walking speed" of climbing robots so far. However, its creators note that it still has a ways to go before it can consistently tackle irregular or steeply curved surfaces. But getting MARVEL this far, and tackling a curved surface at all, is already an achievement of its own. **More on robots:** *[Boston Dynamics Sues Competitor That Put a Gun on Its Robodog]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()