Ultrasonic/Sonic Anchor

The ultrasonic/sonic anchor (U/S anchor) is an anchoring device that drills a hole for itself in rock, concrete, or other similar material. The U/S anchor is a recent addition to a series of related devices, the first of which were reported in “Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corers With Integrated Sensors” (NPO-20856), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 25, No. 1 (January 2003), page 38. There are numerous potential uses for U/S anchors, especially in enabling walking robots and humans to climb steep rock faces for diverse purposes, including scientific exploration, recreational rock climbing, military maneuvers, and search and rescue.