A new study in the Institute of Physics journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics by Tufts doctoral student Huai-Ti Lin and researchers Gary Leisk and Barry Trimmer details the creation of the GoQBot, a soft-bodied robot inspired by a natural defense mechanism found in some caterpillars called “ballistic rolling.” According to a press release by the Institute of Physics, ballistic rolling is “one of the fastest wheeling behaviours in nature”

The below video shows both a caterpillar engaging in ballistic rolling and the GoQBot in action:

The science blog PopSci featured the GoQBot, the latest product of the ongoing biomimetic research at Tufts.

“GoQBot demonstrates a solution by reconfiguring its body and could therefore enhance several robotic applications such as urban rescue, building inspection, and environmental monitoring,” Lin was quoted as saying in the press release. “Due to the increased speed and range, limbless crawling robots with ballistic rolling capability could be deployed more generally at a disaster site such as a tsunami aftermath. The robot can wheel to a debris field and wiggle into the danger for us.”