A team of researchers has developed a device inspired by cockroaches called CRAM, or compressible robot with articulated mechanisms; it can move quickly through narrow spaces and can move its legs outward to withstand flattening.

A new device has been inspired by an insect that is usually considered a pest.
Researchers have studied the stealth moves of cockroaches to create a robot that can move quickly through narrow crevices. 
Kaushik Jayaram, one of the lead members, has stated, “What’s impressive about these cockroaches is that they can run as fast through a quarter-inch gap as a half-inch gap, by reorienting their legs completely out to the side.” 
He adds, “They’re about half an inch tall when they run freely, but can squish their bodies to one-tenth