DailyDirt: Robots Inspired By Nature
from the urls-we-dig-up dept
Biomimicry for robot design is a fascinating area of research, and all kinds of interesting robots are being developed that almost look like natural creatures. Here are just a few more examples of machines that are adopting biologically-inspired features.
- Robot researchers in Switzerland are copying the physiology of bats, grasshoppers and locusts to create robots that are more efficient at moving around. Swarms of these kinds of robots are going to be pretty scary looking… [url]
- Lockheed Martin is developing an unmanned aircraft called the Samarai and looks like a foot-long maple seed — with propellers attached. These remote-controlled aircraft can hover in place and come equipped with video cameras for surveillance missions. [url]
- The exoskeleton of an African desert scorpion isn’t smooth, but covered with microscopic bumps that protect it from sandblasting winds. This discovery could help helicopters fly in the desert for longer periods of time, since adding some grooves to smooth steel surfaces can reduce erosion by up to 20%. [url]
- To discover more interesting robotics-related content, check out what’s currently floating around the StumbleUpon universe. [url]
By the way, StumbleUpon can recommend some good Techdirt articles, too.
Filed Under: biomimicry, drones, locomotion, robots, scorpion
Companies: lockheed martin
Comments on “DailyDirt: Robots Inspired By Nature”
1) Quickly patent scorpion skin steel.
2)?
3)Profit!
Take that Sikorsky!
dumb freetard scientists infringing on nature, what have they ever made of value?
Re:
“what have they ever made of value?”
Beer, wine, mead. Nuff said.
Ya know...
If they are looking to reduce sand erosion, perhaps coat the rotors with rubber? Like they do when they make stencils for sandblast-engraving tombstones? Too simple? Yeah, we need hairy choppers.
I just wrote “hairy choppers” and my mind filled with pictures. None of them were good.