Natural disasters are the only way that brings more damage to the people, business and also the wealth. But there is no even a single solution to stop or eradicate these disasters. Buildings collapse, people die and it takes a lot of time to recover from those natural occurrences. Many work on this to find a solution or even know the future disasters that may help us a lot. Here is the hero to rescue trapped people and it is a robotic cockroach.

Repulsive as they may be, roaches have the remarkable ability to squish their bodies down to one-quarter their normal size, yet still rush at lightning speed. Roaches can also withstand 900 times their body weight without being hurt. Scientists were inspired to create a mini-robot that can mimic that feat of strength and agility. The researchers are hoping these future roach-like robots could be fitted with cameras, microphones and other sensors and then used in earthquakes and other disasters to help search for victims.

The University of California at Berkeley biology professor Robert Full, co-author of a study said that “The robots could also let rescuers know if the rubble pile is stable. Cockroaches seem to be able to go anywhere. I think they’re disgusting and revolting, but they always tell us something new.” It is a palm-size prototype called the Compressible Robot with Articulated Mechanisms CRAM.

Co-author Kaushik Jayaram, a Harvard robotics researcher, said: “the most difficult part was the design, but after that we used off-the-shelf electronics and motors, cardboard, polyester and some knowledge of origami.” The prototype cost less than $100. In the past, when engineers were trying to create robots that could get into tight places, they thought about soft animals like worms, slugs or octopuses. But the cockroach has advantages, including crush-resistance and speed.

“There’s definitely a case for machines that can go into environments that are not safe for humans to go into,” Cowan said. Still, the robot designers have no love for the bug that inspired them. “I’m still creeped out by them,” Jayaram said. He said cockroaches and insects in general, are great design guides for roboticists to borrow from.