London (CNN) -- What do artificial whiskers and coffee-filled balloons have in common?

The answer is that they are both tools on experimental robots -- but they are also being put forward as possible ideas to help future planetary explorations.

"Shrewbot" is the latest in a line of robots developed by teams at the UK's Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) that aims to test whether artificial whiskers could help a robot find its way around.

Inspired by the Etruscan shrew -- one of the world's tiniest mammals -- scientists wanted to find out if a robot could explore its environment using touch instead of vision, just as rats, mice and shrews find food in the dark.

Team leader Martin Pearson, who works at the Biotact project, said the research was primarily to assist biologists in their understanding of how an animal's touch sensing works.

But he added: "Future robotic applications for this kind of sensing could be in search-and-rescue robots operating in smoke filled buildings or for sub-sea pipeline inspection robots in the murky depths of the sea."

The idea has also been suggested as a way to explore planetary surfaces where there is limited vision. Speaking at a space conference at the UK's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, robotics expert and co-founder of the BRL, Alan Winfield, identified it as one of a number of advancements that might be useful to space scientists planning future missions.

"I was speculating that whiskers could provide a planetary rover with the ability to feel its way around," he told CNN. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Which is a newer robot type?
2. Developed by?
3. A.k.a.?
4. Name one tool of trial bots?
5. Name another..
6. What else may they some day do?
7. Yes and what about in our galaxy?
8. Why fake facial hair?
9. What was the inspiration for BRL's bot?
10. What's that?
11. Who lead the research?
12. Where does he work?
Answer: 1. Shrewbot
2. UK's Bristol Robotics Laboratory
3. BRL
4. artificial whiskers
5. coffee-filled balloons
6. search and rescue
7. Planetary rover
8. Gives it the ability to feel around
9. the Etruscan shrew
10. one of the tiniest mammals
11. Martin Pearson
12. the Biotact project

Kelsey's uncle Jack gave him and his brother, Davy, some chalk to play with. Kelsey was a pretty good artist. His family said that all of his drawings looked real. His brother was sad that he was not as good at art and drawing as Kelsey. Davy teased Kelsey to take his mind off the fact that he was not as good at art. He called Kelsey names and pretended to be a monster to scare Kelsey when he wasn't paying attention. When their mother gave them some chocolate as a treat, Davy took all of it and wouldn't let Kelsey have any. Uncle Jack finally saw that Davy was hurting his brother, so he sat down to talk to him. After lots of questioning, Davy told his uncle the truth. "Instead of teasing your brother," Uncle Jack said, "why don't you ask him to teach you how to draw some things? He's used to his big brother knowing everything. I think he would like to teach you some things." Davy looked at the ground and finally said, "Okay." Kelsey was pleased that his brother asked him to teach him. After that, both boys got along much better. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. what did Jack give Kelsey?
2. was Kelsey an artist?
Answer: 1. Chalk
2. Yes

CHAPTER XXIII: Paddy The Beaver Does A Kind Deed

Paddy the Beaver listened to all that his small cousin, Jerry Muskrat, had to tell him about the trouble which Paddy's dam had caused in the Laughing Brook and the Smiling Pool.

"You see, we who live in the Smiling Pool love it dearly, and we don't want to have to leave it, but if the water cannot run down the Laughing Brook, there can be no Smiling Pool, and so we will have to move off to the Big River," concluded Jerry Muskrat. "That is why I tried to spoil your dam."

There was a twinkle in the eyes of Paddy the Beaver as he replied: "Well, now that you have found out that you can't do that, because I am bigger than you and can stop you, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know," said Jerry Muskrat sadly. "I don't see what we can do about it. Of course you are big and strong and can do just as you please, but it doesn't seem right that we who have lived here so long should have to move and go away from all that we love so just because you, a stranger, happen to want to live here. I tell you what!" Jerry's eyes sparkled as a brand new thought came to him. "Couldn't you come down and live in the Smiling Pool with us? I'm sure there is room enough!"

Paddy the Beaver shook his head. "No," said he, and Jerry's heart sank. "No, I can't do that because down there there isn't any of the kind of food I eat. Besides, I wouldn't feel at all safe in the Smiling Pool. You see, I always live in the woods. No, I couldn't possibly come down to live in the Smiling Pool. But I'm truly sorry that I have made you so much worry, Cousin Jerry, and I'm going to prove it to you. Now you sit right here until I come back." What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. Who had caused the beaver some trouble?
2. What had he done?
3. What was the beaver's name?
4. What was his relationship to the other animal?
5. Where was the problem caused?
6. Where else?
7. Were the residents of the pond fond of it?
8. Did they want to depart?
9. Where did the water for the pond have to traverse?
10. Could the pond survive without it?
11. Where were the residents moving to?
12. What was in the beaver's expression when he answered?
13. Was he smaller than the muskrat?
14. What did he say he could do to the plan?
15. Did the muskrat know what to do?
16. Had the beaver been living there long?
17. What did the smaller animal invite the larger one to do?
18. Did the larger animal agree?
19. Why not?
20. Where did he prefer to reside?
Answer:
1. Jerry Muskrat.
2. tried to spoil his dam
3. Paddy.
4. cousin
5. the Laughing Brook
6. the Smiling Pool.
7. Yes.
8. No.
9. the Laughing Brook
10. No.
11. the Big River
12. a twinkle
13. No.
14. Stop it.
15. No.
16. No.
17. come down and live in the Smiling Pool
18. No
19. there isn't any of the kind of food he eats
20. in the woods