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Seahorse Tails Could Inspire New Generation of Robots

Posted by samzenpus on from the constructing-nature dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Researchers at Clemson University have studied the makeup of seahorse tails and rendered its mechanics using 3D-printing in an effort to provide flexibility to stiff robots. Unlike most creatures, seahorse's tail is made of square prisms. Michael Porter, assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Clemson University said, "Almost all animal tails have circular or oval cross-sections—but not the seahorse's. We wondered why. We found that the squared-shaped tails are better when both grasping and armor functions are needed."

15 comments

  1. Seahorses inspire armoured kill bots... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How sad

  2. Re:Making an account on a website is silly by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    You could always sign up.

    http://slashdot.org/newsletter

  3. Do robots have new generations? by Kohath · · Score: 1

    What was the defining characteristic of the old generation?

    1. Re:Do robots have new generations? by I'm+New+Around+Here · · Score: 2

      According to this, round squishy tails.

      I must have missed those ones though

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    2. Re:Do robots have new generations? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      round squishy tails

      I'm pretty sure there's a market for that kind of toys in Japan.

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    3. Re:Do robots have new generations? by jan_jes · · Score: 1

      What was the defining characteristic of the old generation?

      I think they specify this due to "the new approaches created to surgery, search and rescue missions or industrial applications" as per article published.

  4. Re:Making an account on a website is silly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You could always sign up.

    http://slashdot.org/newsletter

    Not quite the same, but it'll have to do I suppose.

  5. Just wondering by rossdee · · Score: 1

    Why do robots need tails anyway?

    1. Re:Just wondering by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 2

      Balance. They are actually quite useful in this regard.

    2. Re:Just wondering by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 1

      The interest is in the physical mechanism used for retaining both flexibility and resistance to crushing, not in the fact that it's a tail. You could design robotic arms that are both flexible and have a protective outer shell, for instance.

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      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
  6. Inspire robots by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is good. Because the last generation of robots was just sitting around, unmotivated and depressed. (Marvin, I'm talking to you.)

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    1. Re:Inspire robots by Nyder · · Score: 1

      This is good. Because the last generation of robots was just sitting around, unmotivated and depressed. (Marvin, I'm talking to you.)

      Marvin was quite mobile.

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  7. testing firewall vs. slashdot connects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    testing firewall vs. slashdot connects on posts