UK Scientists Develop Self-Adapting Serpent for Battlefield Recon
British researchers have created a robotic snake spy that mimics biological evolution to keep moving, even when damaged by enemy fire.
Although still in the prototype phase, this slithering robot—nicknamed “Rambo”—is built to be air-dropped from helicopters and navigate hostile terrain, gathering intelligence with its audio and optical sensors.
By staying close to the ground, this robotic serpent avoids detection better than traditional wheeled reconnaissance bots, which can be easily destroyed or disabled.
Smart Design and Flexible Build
The spy snake consists of modular, snap-together vertebrae and is driven by artificial muscles made from a nickel-titanium alloy called shape-memory metal. These metal wires contract when charged with electricity and relax when the current is switched off, allowing the robot to wiggle forward in a lifelike motion.
Intelligent Software
What sets this machine apart is its advanced software, set to be detailed in the next issue of New Scientist. The program uses an evolutionary algorithm modeled on natural selection, constantly adapting to improve the robot’s movement.
It begins with 20 “digital chromosomes,” each acting as a binary switch that controls an individual muscle wire—either turning it on or off.
These configurations are tested, and those that make the snake move further receive higher fitness scores. The two best-performing combinations are retained, while the rest are scrambled or randomly mutated to generate a new generation of solutions.
Adapting to Damage
This iterative process continues for several generations until the software finds an optimal configuration for movement. The result is a continually evolving system that can adapt to changing conditions or physical damage.
To test its resilience, University College London computer scientists Peter Bentley and Siavash Harun Mahdavi intentionally disabled some of the robot’s segments. Though initially motionless, the snake soon learned a new, albeit clumsier, way to move—proving its ability to overcome injury and still complete its mission.
The project is funded by BAE Systems, a major UK aerospace and defense company, highlighting its potential future use in military applications.
