To improve the studies of wombat burrows, researchers have designed a robot – the WomBot.
According to an article on techxplore, the WomBot, created by a team from both La Trobe University and the University of Tasmania in Australia, is remotely operated and has studied the transmission of sarcoptic mange within wombat burrows. This is a disease caused by the presence of parasitic mites.
The robot is able to scale inclines of up to 22 degrees and hosts cameras that can show images of a wombat’s dwelling. Its movements are made possible thanks to treads similar to that of a tank, plus sensors can determine the level of humidity and temperature of a burrow.
“Wombat burrows are challenging to study as they are narrow, muddy, can be dozens of meters long and contain steep sections and sharp turns. WomBot allows us to enter and explore these burrows without destroying them or using expensive ground-penetrating radar,” said Robert Ross, who is an author of the study.
“This can help us better understand the environmental conditions within burrows that may facilitate sarcoptic mange transmission.”
In a study recently published, tests carried out by the WomBot in September 2020 on the conditions of 30 wombat burrows in Tasmania revealed temperatures that correlate with those that are needed for mites to survive and thrive optimally. It was estimated by the team that female mites could survive for up to 18 days inside the studied burrows, enabling a likelihood that the wombats could be infected by the disease.
“Our findings indicate that the environmental conditions within wombat burrows may facilitate sarcoptic mange transmission by promoting mite survival. WomBot could potentially be used to help reduce the spread of sarcoptic mange by delivering insecticide or ensuring burrows are empty before being temporarily heated in order to eradicate mites,” said Ross.
The team state that improvements on the robot could be made in the future. These include 3D point-cloud reconstruction and the ability for it to collect soil samples.
