Biomimicry Applications in Robotics

“In an age of increasingly advanced robotics, one team has well and truly bucked the trend, instead finding inspiration within the pinhead-sized brain of a tiny flying insect in order to build a robot that can deftly avoid collisions with very little effort and energy expenditure. An insect's tiny brain is an unlikely source of biomimicry, but researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and Bielefeld University in Germany believed it was an ideal system to apply to how robots move. Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) possess remarkably simple but effective navigational skills, using very little brainpower to swiftly travel along invisible straight lines, then adjusting accordingly – flying in a line angled to the left or the right – to avoid obstacles. With such a tiny brain, the fruit fly has limited computational resources available to it while in flight – a biological model, the scientists believed, that could be adapted to use in the 'brain' of a robot for efficient, low-energy and obstacle-avoiding locomotion. "Like when you’re on a train," said physicist Elisabetta Chicca, from the University of Groningen. "The trees nearby appear to move faster than the houses far away. Insects use this information to infer how far away things are. "What we learn from this is: if you don’t have enough resources, you can simplify the problem with your behavior," she added. In fruit flies' brains, the motion of surrounding objects is processed through the optical neurons T4 and T5. With the help of Bielefeld University neurobiologist Martin Egelhaaf, the team algorithmically mimicked this neural activity in their small robot 'brain', giving it the ability to process directional information to move efficiently and avoid collisions with any obstacles in its path.” https://lnkd.in/gBxaNZAz

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 Researchers from EPFL (Switzerland) and Konkuk University (South Korea) have developed a new flapping microrobot inspired by rhinoceros beetles. This innovative robot passively deploys and retracts its wings, mimicking the natural movements of beetles without the need for extensive actuators. 🪲 Natural Mechanics: Unlike birds and bats, rhinoceros beetles passively deploy their hindwings using forces from their elytra and flapping motion. This insight led to creating an 18-gram microrobot with elastic tendons that allow passive wing deployment and retraction, enhancing its similarity to real insects. 🤖 Engineering Marvel: The microrobot, approximately twice the size of a beetle, can take off and maintain stable flight by activating its flapping motion. When at rest, it folds its wings along its body, protecting them from damage and allowing it to navigate narrow spaces. This design makes it ideal for search and rescue missions in confined spaces, where traditional drones cannot operate. 🌿 Future Applications: Due to its safe, low-flapping frequency, the robot could assist biologists in studying insect flight biomechanics, serve as spy insects for wildlife exploration, or act as an engineering toy for kids. Future improvements may include enhanced agility and ground locomotion capabilities like perching and crawling. 🌍 Broader Impact: This research significantly opens new avenues for creating insect-like robots that can operate in environments inaccessible to humans, showcasing the profound potential of biomimicry in advancing robotic technology. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eB97KxBG

The Future Walks on a SoftFoot Nature has spent millions of years perfecting the human foot—an intricate masterpiece of bones, tendons, and muscles that absorb impact, adapt to terrain, and propel us forward with unmatched efficiency. Now, technology is catching up. Meet SoftFoot Pro, a game-changing prosthetic foot that mimics the biomechanics of a real human foot—without motors, just pure engineering brilliance. Developed by the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) and the University of Pisa, this flexible, waterproof prosthetic is not just for people with limb loss. It’s also designed for the humanoid robots of the future. What makes it special? ✅ A built-in windlass mechanism – just like the natural plantar fascia, storing and releasing energy with every step. ✅ Adapts to uneven terrain – rigid prosthetics struggle with slopes, but this one flexes and conforms. ✅ Lightweight yet strong – supports up to 100kg, with cutting-edge materials from aerospace and automotive tech. ✅ Artificial intelligence in its purest form – not software, but design. It doesn’t just simulate a foot; it behaves like one. This is biomimicry at its best: taking cues from nature to build technology that moves, balances, and interacts with the world like we do. A foot designed for humans—but also for the future of robotics. Innovation keeps bringing us closer to nature. What other human abilities do you think technology should replicate next? 🚀 #ai #tech #robotics

NATURAL BIOMIMETIC PROSTHETICS WITH NEUROMORPHIC SENSING The current field of soft robotics is driven by its intrinsic compliance, enhanced safety, lower costs, and improved dexterity in human-robot interaction. While originally developed as a substitute for conventional rigid robotics, soft robotic designs have evolved to encompass applications, such as integrating sensors and creating advanced robotic graspers and prosthetic devices, particularly human hands. Human hands are hybrid systems that seamlessly integrate the precision and gripping strength of rigid robots with the adaptability and safety of soft robots. Numerous studies have attempted to emulate the remarkable capabilities of the human hand using biomimetic rigid or soft robotic designs to achieve tactile sensing or neuromorphic encoding. Among the limited examples of anthropomorphic hands utilizing soft robotics, the highest object weight they can lift is 1270 g. Several research groups introduce a unique biomimetic hybrid robotic hands with embedded multilayered neuromorphic tactile sensing, including: 1. Bionic Hand by Johns Hopkins University: This hybrid robotic hand combines soft and rigid components with touch-sensitive technology. It can precisely handle objects of various shapes and textures, offering a naturalistic sense of touch through electrical nerve stimulation. It’s designed to mimic the human hand’s physical and sensory capabilities. 2. Biohybrid Hand by the University of Tokyo and Waseda University: This innovative hand integrates lab-grown muscle tissue with mechanical engineering. It can perform lifelike movements, such as gripping and gesturing, and even experiences fatigue similar to a real human hand. Robotic hands mimic human motion through a combination of advanced engineering and biomimicry through designated actuation systems, sensors for feedback, multiple degrees of freedom, neuromorphic encoding, and machine learning algorithms to perform complex tasks, such as grasping irregularly shaped objects or mimicking intricate gestures. Particularly, research group from Johns Hopkins University, presented an individual hybrid biomimetic finger of the robotic hand, which features three independently actuated soft robotic joints and a rigid endoskeleton. On the other hand, the fingertips house a multilayered biomimetic tactile sensor, composed of three flexible sensing layers, inspired by mechanoreceptors. These layers enable neuromorphic encoding, translating the sensor signals to emulate dynamic neuronal activity based on the mechanoreceptors they represent. The hybrid biomimetic finger, showing that the rigid endoskeleton enhances flexion force while retaining the compliance and safety, as well as the finger palpates and distinguishes 26 textured plates made of both soft and hard materials. #https://lnkd.in/etisF6Cb #Biohybrid hand actuated by multiple human muscle tissues | Science Robotics

China Develops Bionic Robot with Cheetah-Like Motion Using Piezoelectric Technology Chinese researchers have developed a bionic robot that replicates cheetah-like movement using piezoelectric materials, which generate an electric charge under mechanical stress. Published in the Journal of Bionic Engineering, the study highlights a breakthrough in biomimetic robotics, paving the way for advanced autonomous systems with enhanced agility and efficiency. Key Features of the Piezoelectric Robot The H-shaped bionic piezoelectric robot (H-BPR) is designed with: • Four legs connected by three piezoelectric beams, mimicking a cheetah’s periodic leg movements. • A voltage differential driving method, enabling linear motion and turns with varying radii. • A compact 38-gram prototype, measuring 150 × 80 × 31 mm³, demonstrating high-speed locomotion. How the Robot Achieves Motion By leveraging the bending vibrations of piezoelectric beams, the researchers analyzed its kinematics and dynamics to optimize movement. Using finite element analysis software, they conducted modal and harmonic response tests to refine the robot’s trajectory and motion efficiency. Potential Applications With enhanced speed, precision, and adaptability, this innovation could advance search-and-rescue missions, reconnaissance, and autonomous robotic systems. As China continues to refine its biomimetic robotics technology, this research underscores the growing potential for nature-inspired automation in various industries, including defense, logistics, and medical robotics.

Harnessing Nature's Ingenuity for 3D-Printed Adaptive Robotics Inspired by the sensitive mechanics of the Mimosa pudica, our team Cold Spray and Rapid Deposition (ColRAD) (Lihua Lou, Kazue Orikasa, Arya B. Nair, William Desueza) has leaped forward in adaptive robotics! By studying the plant's rapid, localized responses through nanoindentation, we identified design principles for creating smarter, more responsive devices. We developed a 3D-printed robotic "Mimosa" structure using a shape memory polymer enhanced with graphene. This innovative combination results in: 1. Exceptional adaptability under thermal stimulation, mimicking natural plant movements. 2. 3.6x faster shape recovery due to graphene addition This study bridges biomimicry, materials science, 3D printing and microfluidics. Applications range from wearable tech to biomedical devices, offering smarter solutions for dynamic and responsive systems. We are very proud of our two undergraduate researchers (Arya B. Nair and William Desueza) who contributed to this research. Check out how bioinspiration and advanced materials are shaping the future of robotics! https://lnkd.in/ed7XpS-u • #3Dprinting • #AdditiveManufacturing • tuan@anisoprint.com • https://anisoprint.com • Like 👍 what you see ► Hit the Bell 🔔 to follow me. P.S. Repost ♻️ if you find it valuable. Thanks! 🙏

Revolutionary biorobotics: A leadership team from Northwestern University Engineering has achieved the creation of a new class of actuator that replicationizes the human-like movements of muscles. It has been made in principle from common rubber and is driven by a single motor, while it can carry out astonishingly wide and complex motions, from squeezing through a tight gap to sequentially lift substantial weights. This innovation not only makes robots more flexible and capable but also significantly brings down the cost, making it relatively safe and practical for use in the environments where it may come into close interaction with humans. Design and Functionality The very character and functionality of this new actuator spring from the simplicity and effectiveness of the design. Unlike most robotic actuators, which use many motors and complex mechanical systems, this actuator uses natural properties of rubber, with a very simple motor setup. The device behaves by continuously expanding, contracting, and twisting in a manner very similar to the actions of human muscles. Such biomimicry enables robots to realize kinds of tasks that were either difficult or impossible to be done earlier, such as working with fragile objects or navigating confined spaces. Applications and Implications The range of possible applications for this technology is huge. Robots in health care, for example, could mean that robots with muscle-like actuators help with surgery, rehabilitation, and looking after patients—doing tasks more dexterously and with more delicateness than any real person can manage with a conventional robot. Necessary movement of delicate components, either alone or when operating, in a crowded scenario or adapting easily to a new situation, these robots can do all that. Beyond being practical applications, this is a game-changer in the field of bioinspired robotics. These engineers are at the leading front of stretching the limits of what robots can do by closely mimicking movements and capabilities of natural muscle, therefore making them so versatile and integrated into life. Future Prospects It can only be imagined what the future will hold in terms of the development of this actuator. It is only through continued research that much more advanced and capable robots will emerge, one that is not only also safe and cost-effective but remarkably enhances the functionality and adaptability of robots to a human-like level. It will see wider acceptance and integration of robots in different sectors that would enhance its societal role in making life easier for a lot of people. #Leadership #Innovation #CareerDevelopment #Sustainability #Marketing #Technology #Entrepreneurship

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗰𝗶-𝗙𝗶 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗶𝗼-𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 Two groundbreaking innovations are reshaping the future of precision medicine and surgical intervention: 1. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲-𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗱 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘀 (𝗣𝗕𝘀) Developed by researchers at Seoul National University, these millimeter-scale liquid robots emulate cellular behaviors—splitting, merging, and engulfing—while maintaining structural integrity. Their enhanced deformability and stability enable navigation through complex environments, making them promising candidates for targeted drug delivery and microsurgical applications. 📄 Read the study: https://lnkd.in/eUY_HD7y 🎥 Watch the demonstration: https://lnkd.in/eHbU_3mv Wait, did we saw something similar in Terminator 2 movie for the first time? 2. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘁: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲-𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁 Engineers at Princeton University have introduced the “metabot,” a metamaterial that transitions between material and robotic states under external magnetic fields. Inspired by origami, this modular system can twist, contract, and expand without traditional motors, offering potential for non-invasive surgical tools and adaptive implants. 🔬 Explore the research: https://lnkd.in/eX3ueP-K These innovations when matured will signify a paradigm shift in medical technology, where AI-driven agents operate within the human body, executing tasks with unprecedented precision and adaptability. The convergence of materials science, robotics, and artificial intelligence is no longer a concept of science fiction but a tangible reality poised to revolutionize healthcare.

What if fish taught robots about teamwork? The question is 𝗛𝗢𝗪? . . Researchers in 𝗞𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘇 just bridged the gap between biology and robotics, using virtual reality (VR) to reverse-engineer how fish swarm, and turning that knowledge into smarter robots. Using VR arenas where juvenile zebrafish interacted with lifelike projections of each other. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: ➡️ 𝗩𝗥 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Juvenile zebrafish were placed in immersive arenas with holographic projections of other fish. ➡️ 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗱: Fish coordinate by responding solely to the position, not the speed, of their neighbors. ➡️ 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘀, 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: The control rule is cognitively minimal, yet yields high performance. ➡️ 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱: Real fish couldn’t distinguish between actual companions and algorithm-driven virtual fish. ➡️ 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: When applied to swarms of drones, boats, and cars, the bio-inspired control law performed comparably to advanced AI models (e.g., Model Predictive Controller) with significantly lower complexity and energy use. “This work highlights the reciprocal relationship between robotics and biology, using robotics to explore biological mechanisms, which in turn inspire new and effective robotic strategies.” — Oliver Deussen, Professor of Computer Science, University of Konstanz 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗼-𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dcca35vC 📌 𝗣𝗦: Follow for more information and latest tech insights. Let’s connect https://lnkd.in/d7FR8yK2 and discuss how we can collaborate! #BioInspiredAI #SwarmRobotics #AutonomousSystems #CollectiveBehavior #RoboticsInnovation