Intel
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Animals got it going on.
10 Animal-like Robots That Slither, Hop, Run and Fly
Animals got it going on. They fly better than humans, swim better, run faster, and hop higher. So it's no surprise that scientists are building robots modeled after creatures from the animal kingdom. Here are 10 of our favorites. Meet Spot, a four-legged robotic dog that can run over terrain, climb stairs and can handle a kick to the ribs without a flinch. Google-owned Boston Dynamics’ robot uses an electrical/hydraulic system and is designed for both indoor and outdoor operation.
Boston Dynamics via Youtube
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BionicKangaroo is a robot developed by automation company Festo to technologically reproduce the unique way that a kangaroo moves. Just like a kangaroo, the robot recovers energy when jumping, stores it and efficiently uses it for the next jump.
Festo
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A turtle-shaped robot named Beachbot, created by Disney Research labs, uses a retractable rake and onboard sensors to etch elaborate lines and designs in the sand.
Beachbot
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The Great Elephant robot, which makes the French city of Nantes its home, is made from 45 tons of reclaimed wood and steel. The mechanical elephant can carry up to 49 passengers at a time on a 45-minute walk.
Wikipedia Commons
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The Atrias robot is modeled after birds, which are arguably the fastest and most agile two-legged runners in the world. The robot, developed by researchers at the Oregon State University’s Dynamic Robotics Laboratory, has impeccable balance and can withstand kicks, punches and even a barrage of dodge balls.
Dynamic Robotics Lab/Oregon State University
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The ACM-R5H robot, developed by Japan-based HiBot, is intended for inspection and search operations in underwater environments. In the front unit, a wireless camera is mounted to capture images.
HiBot
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German robotics company Festo is known for its animal-inspired robots. One of their latest creations is BionicAnt, a colony of small robots that work together to accomplish tasks, similar to how real insect societies work together toward a common goal.
Festo
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The Navy recently deployed a robotic shark called the GhostSwimmer unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), which is five feet long and 100 pounds. It is based on biomimetic design principles and can be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as hull inspections of friendly ships.
U.S. Navy / Edward Guttierrez III
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Boston Dynamics’ Cheetah robot is capable of running faster than any human, with speeds reaching 28.3 mph. It also has an articulated back that flexes back and forth on each step, mimicking the movement of a cheetah.
Boston Dynamics
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The T8, by Robugtix, is made with high-resolution 3D-printed parts, and is modeled after the movements of a spider. It has 26 different motors, with three in each leg and two in the abdomen.
Robugtix
Intel has provided a frightening glimpse of the future: an army of robot spiders that can be controlled by gestures.
Intel’s CEO Brian Krzanich placed Curie, a button-sized computer, on a wristband to control a swarm of four spiderbots with each flick of his wrist. He demonstrated the new technology at the company’s Intel Developer Forum in Shenzhen, China.
Following the commands of Krzanich and his Curie-powered bracelet, the spiderbots changed the colors of the LEDs embedded in their carapaces, pumped their “fists” and even fell asleep when Krzanich waved his hands. To wake the robots, Krzanich lifted his hand.
The Curie module uses an accelerometer and gyroscope to detect arm gestures. The device then transmits the commands to the robots via a Bluetooth LE module.
When it’s not directing terrifying spiderbots, Curie, based on the Intel Quark SE system chip, was developed with wearable technology in mind. It can be embedded into bracelets, rings, pendants, fitness trackers and the like and can actually interpret if a user is, say, walking, running or swimming. It contains sensors, Bluetooth low-energy radio and battery charging technologies.
While Curie already seems to have a loyal following and is expected to ship to manufacturers in the second half of this year, the spiderbots are luckily just a proof of concept… for now.