Collaborate Disseminate
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
Paramecium and certain other microbes move through liquid by whipping back and forth hairlike appendages known as cilia. Scientists have now developed a new type of synthetic cilia, which could find use in micro-robots and more.Continue ReadingCategory… Continue reading Synthetic cilia allow tiny soft-bodied robot to pump and scuttle
As anyone with arthritis will know, cartilage plays a vital role in allowing our joints to move freely. Scientists have now replicated its qualities in a synthetic self-lubricating material, that only needs occasional infusions of water.Continue Readin… Continue reading Cartilage-inspired material may find use in self-lubricating bearings
Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have spent a number of years developing modular snake-like robots for all kinds of purposes, and the latest adaptation sees its serpent-inspired tech headed underwater. The team has developed a submersible… Continue reading Submersible snake-inspired robot can inspect ships and infrastructure
When studying underwater marine life, it helps if you can use a device that doesn’t scare the animals by appearing unnatural to them. MIT scientists have created a robo-starfish with that in mind, utilizing a new rapid development system.Continue Readi… Continue reading MIT system allows robo-starfish to be created in hours, not weeks
From slow-moving machines inspired by sloths to others that burst from the water and soar through the air like flying fish, robots that mimic the behavior of real-world creatures have exciting potential when it comes to environmental monitoring. A new … Continue reading Robotic dragonfly skims across water to detect oil spills and acidity
Fish have a sensory system known as the lateral line, which allows them to detect movements, vibrations and pressure gradients in the water. Scientists have now given a robotic fish its own version of that system, letting it determine the best swimming… Continue reading Robotic fish learns to match its swimming speed to the current
Although wing-flapping micro-drones do already exist, the things tend to be quite fragile – and thus not ideally suited to real-world use. An experimental new one, however, utilizes a softer mechanism for greatly enhanced durability.Continue ReadingCat… Continue reading Tiny wing-flapping drone gets tougher by going softer
Things can get very chaotic on the ocean floor, making it difficult for underwater robots to keep from being swept away. New research, however, suggests that by copying the structure of the starfish, they could actually be pressed into place.Continue R… Continue reading A starfish-shaped body could help underwater robots stay put
Although soft robotic graspers may be squishy on the outside, they usually still have hard, unyielding electronic components on the inside. A new and potentially more versatile bio-inspired grasping system, however, is 100 percent soft.Continue Reading… Continue reading Soft robotic grasper channels the spirit of the Venus flytrap