Researchers from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel have built a high-speed amphibious bot inspired by the movements of cockroaches and lizards.

The AmphiSTAR robot is capable of swimming, running on the surface of water and crawling over rough terrain thanks to its four propellers and four wheels.

On the ground, the palm-sized robot’s wheels can navigate terrain such as grass, gravel and concrete, moving at speeds of 3.6 m/s. On the water, the robot’s propellers behave as fins and enable the AmphiSTAR to run on the surface of water at speeds of 1.5 m/s. Additionally, the bots are able to stay afloat using two attached air tanks.

The AmphiStar’s developers believe that the robot could be used for search and rescue, excavation and agricultural applications.

For more information on the AmphiSTAR, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.