Meet Sand Hound — The Robot Built to Walk Where Humans Can’t

Sand Hound is a quadruped robot developed collaboratively by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and the University of Delaware, designed to navigate challenging coastal terrains such as beaches, dunes, and shifting shorelines where humans and traditional machines often fail. Equipped with advanced sensors including LiDAR and cameras, Sand Hound autonomously maps ground instability, erosion, and terrain changes in real time, adapting to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of sandy environments influenced by tides, storms, and wind. Weighing about 70 pounds and standing roughly two feet tall, Sand Hound combines rugged military-grade durability with sophisticated environmental awareness, enabling it to traverse difficult landscapes without sinking or slipping. Tested along North Carolina’s coastal ranges, the robot demonstrates potential as a vital tool for coastal defense, providing continuous monitoring and data collection that could enhance erosion management and disaster response. Sand Hound represents a new class of autonomous coastal guardians, capable of performing tasks that are dangerous or impossible for humans and conventional vehicles.