Kingdom (05) / 06
The Adaptive Kingdom
Climbing · soft robotics · flexible machines · confined-space access
Machines that climb, bend, change shape and squeeze through narrow passages — reaching places inaccessible to people and rigid robots.
10 proposed programs
Flagship — CLING
Biological principle → Engineering requirement → Machine
(01) — Programs
The species.
Each program studies one biological capability and engineers it toward a machine.
- (01)
CLINGFlagship
Tokay gecko · Gekko gecko
Vertical and inverted-surface inspection for structures, ships, tanks and industrial assets.
● Now
- (02)
COIL
Sidewinder · Crotalus cerastes
Articulated robot for pipes, voids, tunnels and other inaccessible spaces.
◐ Build
- (03)
NEWT
Salamander · Salamandra salamandra
Amphibious crawling and swimming inspection for drains, flooded infrastructure and littoral zones.
◐ Build
- (04)
CHROMA
Panther chameleon · Furcifer pardalis
Adaptive surface materials for thermal and optical signature research.
○ Research
- (05)
INCH
Geometer moth larva · Geometridae
Soft robots that compress through gaps far smaller than their resting size.
○ Research
- (06)
SPINNER
Orb-weaver spider · Araneus diadematus
Tether-deploying robots that lower, secure and sensor-rig themselves into place.
○ Research
- (07)
LEAP
American bullfrog · Lithobates catesbeianus
Jumping mobility research for obstacles, debris and rough terrain.
○ Research
- (08)
SCALE
Pangolin · Smutsia temminckii
Protected mobile sensors for hazardous and contaminated environments.
○ Research
- (09)
ADHERE
Banana slug · Ariolimax columbianus
Wet-adhesion climbing research for contaminated and irregular surfaces.
○ Research
- (10)
SHED
Wall lizard · Podarcis muralis
Modular joints designed to detach and be abandoned to save the machine.
○ Research
● Now — Assemblable largely from mature, demonstrated technology.
◐ Build — Requires meaningful proprietary engineering and field validation.
○ Research — Higher-risk program; key advantages remain experimental.
MALIA planning categories, not formal TRLs. All programs are proposed concepts — none are deployed.