Robots Inspired by Animals

Bio-inspired robotic locomotion is about learning concepts from nature and applying them to the design of real-world engineered systems.

Biomimicry is copying the nature while bio-inspired design is learning from nature and making a mechanism that is simpler and more effective than the system observed in nature. Biomimicry has led to the development of a different branch of robotics called soft robotics. The biological systems have been optimized for specific tasks according to their habitat. However, they are multifunctional and are not designed for only one specific functionality.

Bio-inspired robotics is about studying biological systems, and look for the mechanisms that may solve a problem in the engineering field. Bio-inspired roboticists are usually interested in biosensors (e.g. eye), bioactuators (e.g. muscle), or biomaterials (e.g. spider silk). Most of the robots have some type of locomotion system.

Animal movements covered in this video include Robotic Snake, Robotic Dog, Robotic Dragonfly, Robotic Kangaroo, Robotic Cheetah, and Robotic Bird.