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Biomimetic Robots: A Photo Gallery
Roland Piquepaille writes "Once again, technology is imitating nature with a new class of biologically inspired robots called "Biomimetic Robots." In this very long article, IEEE Computer Magazine looks at several projects currently underway. All these projects will have practical applications a few years from now. They include robotic lobsters for underwater mine research or flying insect-based robots for future spatial missions. Other projects are about cricket-inspired robots to be used in rescue missions or scorpion-like robots to be deployed in hostile environments for humans. and of course, there are the now famous and robust "sprawling" robots based on cockroaches. For more information, read the whole very well documented article. Or read this summary for a photo gallery and direct links to all the projects."
"We are not trying to 'copy a cockroach.' This would be impractical. And besides, who would want one?"
About bloody time that roboticists realized that it's easier to treat robots as independent entities of research, rather than model them on what we know about this world.
And oh, about BLOODY time we have a Roland Piquepaille section. Tiresome to keep bumping into his stuff on every other article.
Since biological "robots" (living creatures) seem to be a complex adaptive system it seems like a good idea to try to emulate that instead of trying to reason things out via rules, etc.
That is to say, living creatures are systems within systems, upon systems, encasing systems. It's like systems debauchery.
http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/biomimetics/
http://www.neurotechnology.neu.edu/
http://www.computer.org/computer/homepage/0904/
Above is a PDF with good information
Chris Williams clw7500nc@gmail.com
"[the researchers] draw their inspiration from... the robustness of the cockroach."
researchers are looking in the cupboards of their local diners
Typical researcher... sees a cockroach running across the filthy floor of his local diner and thinks "Eureka! I should make a robot that moves like a cockroach", all the while ingesting the roaches larvae, embedded in his day-old chili.
Sorry if I'm too skeptical, but these "great ideas just around the corner" always bring it out in me. I'll believe when I see it. Before then it's just cool ideas.
"We are not trying to 'copy a cockroach.' This would be impractical. And besides, who would want one?"
Lots of people? Firefighters/military/...? Has good antennae, detects movement quickly, is quick to respond, is small to go into lots of crevices, who wouldn't want one?
Evil white robots intent on rebuilding the Wicket gate and destroying the universe?
For the love all things froodish - no!
As an IEEE member and contributor I'd urge anyone who is actually serious about Computing to join as well. There are regularly articles in Computing and Software that act as great arguments against PHBs and also which challenge perceptions you may currently hold.
When there is an article in the IEEE about Wi-MAX or equivalent its by the chaps writing the standard and building the industry. Where there is an acticle on productivity its actually a proper study rather than a slashdot poll (not that slashdot is ever a biased source of course!).
Join the IEEE, join the computer society. Sure it means you have to not buy a new graphics card in this half of the year, but it could help your career.
I'm not on a commitee or anything, I'm just a member and its well worth the money IMO.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
Ahem...and where might the female love-making robots be in this list? I'm getting sick of waiting (and the Aibo is really a poor substitute).
cricket-inspired robots to be used in rescue missions
So that inspiration coming from a proper test match or just a one day international?
*Ducks*
Wanted : A Signature.
How useful is a car in rocky terrain? Or in a dense forest? Or on sandy soil?
For that matter, how useful are wheels on any terrain other than fairly wide, even surfaces? Cheetahs don't have wheels because going 60mph over rough, uneven terrain is impractical. And we won't even talk about the agility of a cheetah compared to the agility of a car.
Building robots to mimic biology is a way of making robots more robust, better able to deal with unexpected or uneven terrain, and just all round more useful. The concept isn't that hard.
(I was only an egg, but then I cracked)
Cheetahs wouldn't have wheels because they wouldn't work for them. Wheels wouldn't work so well over uneven terrain, through grassy plains, and in soft dirt. Wheels would also prevent them from turning and reacting to prey as well as their current legs allow. Also, independently moving parts (such as wheels) require maintenance likely to be outside the ability of a cheetah.
Cars were once known as the "horseless carriage." They were designed to look and act like a horse and carriage, sans horse. It would be silly to put a completely useless figure of a horse in front of the car; but robots are not designed to look like animals for appearance as much as function.
Seemingly off-topic but really related question: Why do you think most fictitious depictions of aliens are humanoid?
For a much better source of articles, see What's New, by Bob Park from the American Physical Society, who writes about what's happening in science. Park is a physicist, and knows what he's talking about.