Collaborate Disseminate
Back in 2016 we looked at an interesting project out of Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where researchers had taken inspiration from birds to produce a feathered drone with unique capabilities. The team has continued refi… Continue reading Feathered drone uses morphing wings and tail to fly like a raptor
While we have heard about “electronic tongues” recently, most of them have turned out to be flavor-assessing sensors that (disappointingly) didn’t look like actual tongues. Such is not the case with a new biomimetic tongue, however, which could have so… Continue reading 3D-printed “biomimetic tongue” works like the real thing
Multicopter drones are becoming increasingly useful, but their exposed whirling propellers can get damaged in collisions, and inflict injuries on bystanders. A new prototype drone addresses that problem, by copying the pufferfish.Continue ReadingCatego… Continue reading Drone draws on the pufferfish to protect itself and others
While thin sheets of lab-grown biological tissue do show promise for applications such as the treatment of wounds, picking those delicate sheets up can be very difficult. That’s where a new octopus-inspired gripper is designed to come in.Continue Readi… Continue reading Tissue-transferring gripper inspired by octopus suckers
From next-generation body armor to new treatments for tuberculosis, marine sponges have plenty to offer the world of science, and now we’re seeing how they might inspire stronger and lighter skyscrapers and bridges. Engineers at Harvard University have… Continue reading Sea sponge skeletons inspire stronger, lighter load-bearing structures
The natural world is a great source of inspiration for scientists working on advanced adhesives, where everything from gecko skin to bee slobber have provided blueprints for next-generation materials with supreme stickiness. The latest example, inspire… Continue reading Cheap, reusable adhesive is inspired by the footpads of flies
Who doesn’t love robotic spiders? Today’s biomimetic robot comes in the form of Miles, the quadruped spider robot from [_Robox].
Miles uses twelve servos to control its motion, three on each of its legs, and also includes a standard HC-SR04 ultrasonic distance sensor for some obstacle avoidance capabilities. Twelve servos …read more
Our brains not only memorize things, they also forget them. While that may seem like a limitation, it’s a quality that’s been copied in a new hydrogel – and it may actually have some practical applications.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTa… Continue reading “Memorizing and forgetting” gel mimics the human brain
Although there are many insects with wings that fold down beneath covers when not in use, the earwig’s wings fold the most compactly. Scientists have now copied that folding mechanism, with an eye towards using it in human technology.Continue ReadingCa… Continue reading Earwig wings inspire new folding technology
Robotics projects are always a favorite for hackers. Being able to almost literally bring your project to life evokes a special kind of joy that really drives our wildest imaginations. We imagine this is one of the inspirations for the boom in interactive technologies that are flooding the market these …read more