Mrudul Chellapurath

Mrudul Chellapurath received the masters degree in materials science and technology from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, India, in 2017, and the Ph.D. degree in biorobotics from Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Pisa, Italy, in 2021, and Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Napoli, Italy. He is a Postdoctoral Researcher with Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, Stuttgart, Germany. His research interests include underwater robotics, mechanism design, biomechanics, smart materials, and aerial robotics. He is a member of IEEE and ASME. 

The seafloor is a vast and unexplored terrain of enormous scientific importance, providing habitat for a wide variety of species and providing valuable insights into the earth's history, geology, and ecology. Seabed sediment samples are particularly valuable because they can reveal information about sediment properties, mineralogy, and the taxonomy of species inhabiting the area, including the presence of microplastics.

SILVER 2.0, a legged robot, was created to address the need for improved seafloor exploration and sampling. The robot, which is equipped with a wide range of sensors and cameras, is capable of precise navigation and sampling. It can reach depths of up to 200 meters and work for longer periods of time than conventional ROVs, with the ability to stand for up to 16 hours, hop for up to 10 hours, and walk for up to 7 hours.

The integration of sampling systems or manipulator arms with light-weight commercial propeller-based ROVs can be challenging, as it requires coupled control and modeling of the dynamics between the vehicle and the external system. However, SILVER 2.0's legged design eliminates these challenges and provides a unique solution to seabed sampling. By moving and sampling the seabed without disturbing the sediment or lifeforms, legged robots with sampling capability could significantly expand the quality and quantity of data collection in marine science research.