Biomimicry At Work: Ants Inspire The A.N.T. Aid Necessities Transporter

A multipurpose aid and rescue vehicle, the Aid Necessities Transporter, alias ANT, was designed by Brian Lee, a 24 year-old design student at Monash University in Australia when he submitted his entry to the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) Target 2020 competition.  It was announced this week that Lee's ANT design, inspired by the anatomy and mentality of ants, won the competition.

 

The anatomy and mentality of ants: © Brian Lee

 

The ANT responds to the need for getting necessary supplies to victims of disasters as fast as possible. Like the ant, ANT was designed with six wheels (6 legs) and carries its supplies like the ant carries food back to its nest in its center, so does the ANT carry supplies and food on its center. 

 

ANT bringing supplies to the disaster area: © Brian Lee

 

Like ants, the ANT can travel over any terrain, and like ants, ANTs travel in groups for efficient relays of gathering and supply.

 

The ANT travels many terrains: © Brian Lee

 

Lee acknowledges that the ANT is not capable of carrying quite as many supplies as a truck; however, it more than compensates by several features:

• The ANT's speed and ability to travel any terrain;
• The constant rotation of several ANTs bringing necessities in its belly at a moderate speed and to return to the supply area, empty, at a faster speed.  This is achieved by turning its front 90° to a configuration more adapted to rapid speed;
• The ANTs ability to back up to the supply unit and attach itsef for greater ease in loading supply;
• The ability to attach itself to the supply unit in order to use the unit for transport;

• And to convert the supply unit into temporary housing for medical treatments.

Check out this video and see the ANT prototype in action.

 

What a vehicle!  See more images and read the inventor's own description of all the ANT functions on the  Behance Network.