Inspired by the spiny lobster, computer scientist Janne Haverinen has created a way for robots to “see” thanks to magnetic anomalies.

In 2003, Janne read about the lobster being moved 37 kilometers away from where it had been and the lobster was still able to find its way home. The scientists who wrote the article concluded that the lobster was using magnetic anomalies to navigate.

Using a magnetometer on the front of a robot, Janne and his team from the University of Oulu in Finland are able to get a map of the magnetic landscape as shown in the photo. The robot is then able to navigate without any vision or cameras.

Link via (New Scientist)