Magnecko
Magnecko is a quadrupedal magnetic climbing robot designed for industrial inspection and maintenance in hard-to-reach environments. The robot features four identical legs with insect-style joint configuration and electro-permanent magnetic feet that enable adhesion to ferrous surfaces in any orientation, including vertical walls and horizontal overhangs. With 12 actuated degrees of freedom and high manipulability, Magnecko can traverse complex three-dimensional environments, overcome concave 90° corners, and carry payloads up to 65% of its own weight. Primary applications include inspection of industrial tanks, ship hulls, bridges, and tall metal structures where human access is hazardous or difficult.
Robot Specifications
- Key FeaturesKey Features
- Top Features
- Other Features
Dimensions
50 cm x 50 cm x 20 cm
Weight
11.3 kg
Speed
Ground: 0.15 m/s Ceiling/Overhang: 0.058 m/s Vertical Walls: 0.033 m/s
Runtime
2–4 hours of active locomotion
Charging Time
2.5 hours
Battery Pack
24V Lithium-Ion system.
Wireless radio control
Wireless handheld remote controller with live camera feed display
Battery Life
Expected service life of 3–5 years for the Li-ion pack
Custom inspection payloads, manipulators, additional sensors
Supported for telemetry and software updates via the ETH RSL network
Available Countries
Switzerland (developed at ETH Zurich); international availability not specified
Wireless controller interface
Available Colours
Silver/Black (Raw aluminum finish)
Warranty Info
University research project
Front-facing depth camera (Realsense-style), IMU (Microstrain GX3), joint encoders, and custom magnetic sensors for adhesion monitoring.
Image Gallery
Below images are from ETH Zurich (Robotic Systems Lab)'s official sources
Review Videos
Watch expert reviews and demonstrations of this robot


More Robots
Discover more robots in the same category
Robots From Other Categories
Discover complementary robots from different categories that work well together
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about this robot
Q1. What is Magnecko, and what problem is it designed to solve?
Magnecko is a quadrupedal robot developed by ETH Zurich's Robotic Systems Lab. It addresses access challenges in hard-to-reach ferrous environments, such as industrial tanks, ship hulls, and bridges, for inspection and maintenance tasks.
Q2. What are the main capabilities and key features of Magnecko?
Magnecko features magnetic feet for adhesion to ferrous surfaces in any orientation, insect-style legs with high range of motion, and custom actuators. It transitions between ground, walls, ceilings, and corners autonomously along operator-set paths.
User Comments (No Login needed)
Share your thoughts, experiences, or questions about this robot.
Comments are reviewed before posting.
