DEEP Robotics has demonstrated its Lynx M20 industrial robot in harsh terrain resembling the Martian surface. The 4 legged machine uses wheels on its limbs to combine rolling and stepping across loose sand and steep inclines. The platform is now available for commercial buyers starting at $17,999.
Video demonstrations released by DEEP Robotics show the machine adapting its movement on the fly. When encountering flat ground it rolls to conserve battery power, but it switches to walking whenever the terrain becomes too jagged or unstable. Environmental testing shows the hardware operating in extreme heat up to 55 degrees Celsius. It also completed trials in freezing water at a depth of 80 centimeters and in cold environments reaching minus 30 degrees Celsius.
The manufacturer built the system for hazardous jobs that put human workers at risk. Target applications include power facility inspections, disaster response, firefighting support, and scientific field research. With its wide temperature tolerance and hybrid movement system, the Lynx M20 gives enterprise clients a mobile platform capable of navigating places where standard wheeled rovers or standard drones fail.
