Inspired by Octopus vulgaris, the well-known sea creature with arms connected by a fleshy, skirtlike mantle, computer scientist Dimitris Tsakiris and colleagues transformed the robotic octopus they had previously developed.
That attire consists, for men, of a knee-length blue anaco (a skirtlike wraparound garment), a short blue or gray poncho, a red scarf, and a narrow-brimmed felt hat.
Sometimes referred to as "national dress," the uniforms fashioned from this material consist of a chitenje (a two meter rectangular piece of cloth) wrapped around the hips to form a full-length skirtlike outer covering, a short-sleeved blouse, and a headpiece, all made from the same fabric.