Collaborate Disseminate
Italian researchers have created a novel 4D-printed biodegradable soft robot shaped like a seed that changes shape in response to changes in humidity and can navigate through the soil. The device has great potential as a new way of monitoring the envir… Continue reading First 4D-printed, shape-changing ‘seed robot’ to monitor the environment
Nature is capable of producing materials of incredible strength, with spider silk one of the most celebrated examples. In 2015, a group of scientists made a game-changing discovery in this area, demonstrating that the teeth of clingy molluscs called li… Continue reading Nature’s strongest known material inspires green alternative to Kevlar
Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a simple new way to make materials with intricate nanoscale textures on their surfaces, all inspired by nature. Different patterns can have a range of applications, like making antimicrobial surface… Continue reading Nature-inspired nanotextures pop superbugs, help ships cut through water
The old saying “like water off a duck’s back” is well-earned – the water-loving birds have specialized feathers that keep them from getting too wet. Now, engineers at Virginia Tech have investigated the physics behind how they work and developed synthe… Continue reading Synthetic duck feathers could help ships glide through the water
No matter how good we humans have made something, chances are nature did it better millions of years ago. Rather than compete, it’s often better to tap into the natural version – and that’s exactly what scientists have done with the Smellicopter, a dro… Continue reading “Smellicopter” drone uses live moth antenna to sniff out targets
By getting up close and personal with the intricate mechanics of bird flight, scientists continue to unlock secrets that can aid in their pursuit of advanced aerodynamics, and that may include aircraft that generate a lot less noise. Scientists in Euro… Continue reading How the silence of owls in flight could lead to low-noise aircraft
Behold the wondrous complexity of the human hand. Twenty-seven bones working in concert with muscles, tendons, and ligaments extending up the forearm to produce a range of motions that gave us everything from stone tools to symphonies. Our hands are what we use to interface with the physical world on a fine level, and it’s understandable that we’d want mechanical versions of ourselves to include hands that were similarly dexterous.
That’s a tall order to fill, but this biomimetic mechatronic hand is a pretty impressive step in that direction. It’s [Will Cogley]’s third-year university design project, which he summarizes in …read more
Continue reading Mechatronic Hand Mimics Human Anatomy to Achieve Dexterity
How would you like a bat bot for your next pet drone? Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Coordinated Science Laboratory and from the California Institute of Technology, created a bat drone. This is not your regular drone; it’s not a styrofoam, bat-shaped, four-propeller kind of drone. It’s a drone that mimics not only the shape but the movement of the bats wings to achieve flight.
The biomimetic robotic platform, dubbed Bat Bot B2, is an autonomous flying robot. The wing mechanics are controlled by a brushless DC motor for the wing flapping along with four wings actuators …read more
How would you like a bat bot for your next pet drone? Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Coordinated Science Laboratory and from the California Institute of Technology, created a bat drone. This is not your regular drone; it’s not a styrofoam, bat-shaped, four-propeller kind of drone. It’s a drone that mimics not only the shape but the movement of the bats wings to achieve flight.
The biomimetic robotic platform, dubbed Bat Bot B2, is an autonomous flying robot. The wing mechanics are controlled by a brushless DC motor for the wing flapping along with four wings actuators …read more
