Constructed approximately 4,500 years ago, few architectural marvels rival the pyramids of Giza in iconic status.
However, much remains unknown about these ancient structures – until now.
Leveraging modern technology, a robot has delved into uncharted territories within the Great Pyramid, revealing never-before-seen areas. Watch the footage below:
The robot captures footage from a narrow shaft, ascending at a steep 40-degree angle within the pyramid.
This previously unseen shaft was concealed behind a false wall in the Queen’s Chamber, inaccessible due to previous exploration damage.
In 2010, Rob Richardson, a robotics professor at Leeds, spearheaded a team to deploy a specially designed robot to survey the shaft without causing harm to the pyramid.
Crafting the robot presented significant challenges, requiring five years of development to fit through a tight 20cm by 20cm space.
“This design posed considerable challenges. The robot had to be exceptionally lightweight – ultimately, we reduced its weight to 5kg. Its lightness minimized power requirements, turning challenges into opportunities,” remarked Richardson.
“We devised a system to maneuver the robot delicately through the passageway.”
Last updated Jan 12, 2024, 11:53:36 GMT
Constructed approximately 4,500 years ago, few architectural marvels rival the pyramids of Giza in iconic status.
However, much remains unknown about these ancient structures – until now.
Leveraging modern technology, a robot has delved into uncharted territories within the Great Pyramid, revealing never-before-seen areas. Watch the footage below:
The robot captures footage from a narrow shaft, ascending at a steep 40-degree angle within the pyramid.
This previously unseen shaft was concealed behind a false wall in the Queen’s Chamber, inaccessible due to previous exploration damage.
In 2010, Rob Richardson, a robotics professor at Leeds, spearheaded a team to deploy a specially designed robot to survey the shaft without causing harm to the pyramid.
Crafting the robot presented significant challenges, requiring five years of development to fit through a tight 20cm by 20cm space.
“This design posed considerable challenges. The robot had to be exceptionally lightweight – ultimately, we reduced its weight to 5kg. Its lightness minimized power requirements, turning challenges into opportunities,” remarked Richardson.
“We devised a system to maneuver the robot delicately through the passageway.”
They had to build a tiny robot to fit through the shaft.
Ancient Architects/YouTube
And it worked, with the robot successfully accessing this unknown area, gathering fascinating information. At the end of the shaft was a stone – and the robot was able to send a camera past it.
A false wall, a hidden shaft decorated in strange markings and a stone blocking the end – it’s all pretty exciting stuff. But what were the Egyptians so keen to hide?
The camera “revealed a small chamber with intricate symbols painted on the floor”, Richardson said – but there’s still a lot of unknowns.
He said: “Given the artwork, it is likely the shaft served a bigger purpose than acting as an air vent. But what that bigger purpose was remains a mystery. ”
And there’s still plenty more to explore, particularly as tech improves. The robot found another stone blocking its way, and it couldn’t send a camera past it.
Richardson added: “The mystery of the Great Pyramid continues.”
In 2020 a documentary about the project was released, called The Robot, the Dentist and the Pyramid – the name referencing the Hong Kong dentist and inventor Dr Tze Chuen Ng who sent out the original challenge to build this robot.
You can watch the documentary on the Ancient Architects YouTube channel here…
