Aside from promising humanity a repeat of the black plague and regularly terrorizing well-heeled New York subway riders, rats have also provided the recent inspiration for the Psikharpax robot. Named after the mythical king of rats, the robot uses its whisker sensors, eye socket cameras and ear-based microphones to help it avoid obstacles.

Developed by France's Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR), the goal of the robot's creation was to invent a more self-sufficient robot capable of taking care of itself in harsh conditions such as planetary exploration. You can see the Psikharpax robot in action here.

Via Physorg & Daylife