The work consisted of developing ten tribes, as they are called, with abilities similar to snapping ants. In addition to crawling, this species of ants also escapes predators and jumps from leaf to leaf.
In the same way, these robots, with a structure similar to origami, three autonomous and unrestricted legs, can jump or crawl across the surfaces and communicate with each other to complete complex tasks and achieve goals.
To accomplish these tasks each robot presents a certain intelligence on its own. However, it is only when working together that Tribots can solve puzzles, overcome an obstacle, or move a large, heavy object.
When faced with a challenge, the robot can adopt three profiles: explorer, to detect physical obstacles, worker, using force to move objects or leader, to instruct others.
This work now allows researchers to study the manipulation of objects and the importance of teamwork to overcome obstacles.