Name: The secrets of nature's grossest creatures, channeled into robots
Uploaded: 2014-06-05T15:09:06Z
Duration: 4 min 54 s
Description: How can robots learn to stabilize on rough terrain, walk upside down, do gymnastic maneuvers in air and run into walls without harming themselves? Robert Full takes a look at the incredible body of the cockroach to show what it can teach robotics engineers.

How can robots learn to stabilize on rough terrain, walk upside down, do gymnastic maneuvers in air and run into walls without harming themselves? Robert Full takes a look at the incredible body of the cockroach to show what it can teach robotics engineers.

The secrets of nature's grossest creatures, channeled into robots

Nature’s most reviled creatures hold the key to making robots more robust and adaptable. Cockroaches can stabilize themselves without thinking, squeeze through three-millimeter gaps, and recover rapidly from physical damage. Their exoskeletons and versatile limbs enable them to run, climb, even flip upside down in milliseconds. By mimicking these features, engineers have created damage-resistant robots that can handle unpredictable environments with ease.

Cockroach Superpowers Inspire a New Breed of Resilient Robots

Curiosity, discovery and ... gecko feet?

animals

design

robots

science

technology

insects

biomimicry

invention

biology

demo

TED Stage Talk

Robert Full: The secrets of nature's grossest creatures, channeled into robots