Biomimicry

Inspired by insects, South Korean researchers have developed a robotic beetle with artificial muscles that allow it to get into tight spaces and grip objects. The coolest part? A human can control it with a flick of a finger – quite literally.

Researchers keep drawing inspiration from nature to build more advanced robots. This time, they turned to the feather star to design an aquatic robot capable of 3D maneuvering, which could change the way we explore the underwater world.

The remarkable human brain, which thought up heart surgery and space travel, runs on about 20 watts thanks to its trillions of synapses. Researchers are now attempting to replicate this ability with printable, recyclable artificial synapses.

“Fall like a maple seed, sail like a boat” sounds like advice from legendary heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali. In reality, it describes a new robotic platform scientists have created for fast, long-term deployment to monitor remote waters.

Researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have developed what they describe as a lightweight, whisker-based tactile sensor that gives drones the ability to navigate and explore their surroundings through gentle touch.

A giant robotic worm can crawl over rocks, climb stairs and steep slopes, and swim through the water – and it does it all by shifting its own weight via a clever new water-pumping mechanism.

A new tiny robot called DirectHop costs less than a cup of coffee and weighs about as much as a paper clip. Inspired by fleas, it can jump up stairs, recover from bad landings, and explore places that larger machines can’t reach.

Venus’ flower basket glass sponges can live many years far below the surface of the ocean. Composed of lightweight, durable silica structures, the pipe-shaped organisms are also providing a great opportunity for aircraft and architectural biomimicry.

Lufthansa Technik has received approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to install its AeroSHARK bionic skin on an Airbus A330-300 Discover airliner so it can fly as efficiently as a shark swims.

Researchers continue to draw inspiration from the animal world for their projects. This new drone can land on a tree branch just like a bird. Equipped with special tactile sensors, it can literally feel its way to a safe landing.

Few things make the career jump from regional cuisine delicacy to robotics actuator. Yet, in research vaguely reminiscent of RoboCop, scientists have used skeletal muscle from a literal frog leg as an actuator to control a tiny robotic manta ray.

Engineers continue to draw inspiration from nature. Scientists from New York University have developed a robot that resembles a fish, and can be easily scaled up or down in size to explore different water bodies.