Robot rat may prove a lifesaver, Chinese scientists hope

Researchers in Beijing said they have developed a robot rat that they hope can be used in post-disaster rescue missions. The team behind the invention, from Beijing Institute of Technology and Tsinghua University, said the rat can squeeze through narrow spaces, climb slopes, get past obstacles and walk on snow. It could be used to carry medical supplies or emergency rations to places rescuers cannot reach, such as to people trapped under rubble after an earthquake.