The consumption of resources fueled by the growing urbanization of previously rural regions is creating new challenges in environmental protection. Recovering raw materials through recycling, optimizing environmental infrastructures such as water treatment, and improved documentation of negative processes all now play an increasingly important role. Against this backdrop, (semi)autonomous marine and land transportation are emerging as indispensable tools. Environmental monitoring systems can be used for data capture, remote sensing and mapping for expanding areas of pollution so as to counteract negative effects.

MIRobotics is at the stand of the Swiss NCCR in Hannover to present SUMIR (its Surface and Underwater Monitoring and Inspection Robot), an unusual, eel-like swimming robot. The company's main objective is to develop a modular inspection and monitoring robot that is as user-friendly as possible and can contribute toward Recycling 2.0 and a healthier environment. Its latest technological innovation, the autonomous SUMIR robot, has been inspired by nature and notably features low susceptibility to faults and a long service life. In the longer term, MIRobotics will be developing and providing various sensor and actuation modules aimed at making its robots even more flexible and adaptable to the inspection situation at hand.

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