Biomimicry
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Trees such as maples have "fruits" known as samaras, which consist of a seed joined to a papery wing. Scientists have now created artificial samaras, which could be used to quickly and easily monitor soil temperature from the air.
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Over the years, we've heard about multiple systems that copy gecko feet in order to pick up delicate objects without breaking them. Korean scientists have now taken things further, by adding a means of harmlessly letting go of those items.
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Earlier this year, we heard about some tiny robots that used a bio-inspired mechanism to jump high into the air. The makers of those devices have now tweaked the design, creating bots that jump very long distances.
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Pleurocystitid was a marine organism that existed almost 450 million years ago, long before the first dinosaurs. Scientists have now built a soft-bodied robotic replica of it, which could inspire new methods of locomotion for future robots.
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In order to function safely alongside human workers, robotic arms shouldn't be hard and unyielding. An experimental new arm was designed with that fact in mind, as it mimics soft n' squishy elephant trunks and octopus tentacles.
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Nobody likes getting needles, but unfortunately there are some medications that can only be administered via injection. That could be about to change, however, thanks to the invention of a suction cup that you stick in your mouth.
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Although an increasing number of devices are being developed for use on or in our bodies, such devices tend not to be very … "body-like." A new 3D printing resin could change that, by allowing for variable stiffness throughout single objects.
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The desert-dwelling Namaqua chameleon has a pretty neat trick – it changes skin color to stay cool when outdoor temperatures rise, and stay warm when they drop. An experimental new coating could one day do the same thing for our homes.
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Most robots use electric actuators, but this little fella packs a lot more punch. Researchers have created a new type of minuscule combustion engine that gives this tiny frog robot explosive leaping abilities, as well as fine movement control.
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If you're trying to distribute environmental sensors over a wide area by dropping them from a drone, you don't want them all landing in the same place. With that fact in mind, University of Washington scientists have created origami "microfliers."
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It goes without saying that it is very important for airliners' jet engines to be regularly inspected. Such inspections could soon be easier and more thorough than ever before, thanks to a robot that moves like an inchworm.
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One of the most commonly suggested uses for tiny robots is the search for trapped survivors in disaster site rubble. The CLARI robot could be particularly good at doing so, as it can make itself skinnier to squeeze through tight horizontal gaps.
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