Researchers led by Motoyasu Tanaka at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo have developed a snake-shaped robot that can climb up high steps, navigate through narrow spaces and even give a leg massage. The 1.7-metre (5.5-foot)-long “snake” has 17 joints equipped with distance sensors that “detect whether each wheel is on a step or hanging in the air”, Tanaka said. He aims to put the device to use in three years, after further research to improve the robot’s recoverability from…