MIT researchers developed a “Digger Finger” robot that digs through granular material, like sand and gravel, and senses the shapes of buried objects. The research by the MIT team will be presented at the next International Symposium on Experimental Robotics.
The “Digger Finger”, as it was named, implemented by MIT digs through sand and gravel to locate a buried object. Equipped with tactile detection, the slim digit-like device could one day be mounted on a robotic arm and used to detect underground cables or even explosives.
Sources: https://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/article/tb/stories/blog/39348