Animal-Inspired Robotics Design for Engineers

🤖Robot of the week - M4 Multi-Modal Mobility Morphobotl 🤖 ➡️ What? Why? How? And what can we learn? ➡️ What - This robot can roll, crawl, jump, walk, and even fly, making it capable of navigating various terrains with ease. The robot's flexibility allows it to intelligently adapt its locomotion based on the terrain. It can roll on four wheels for efficiency, stand on two wheels to see over obstacles, or reconfigure into rotors to fly over ravines. Applications include search and rescue, defense & others.  ➡️ Why - Traditionally multi-modal systems have not been scalable. The greater the flexibility, the more components required. More parts = more weight, more cost, more complexity. These factors have limited multi-modal systems' viability outside the lab ➡️ How - The M4 takes cues from nature: the team was inspired by chukar birds' ability to repurpose their wings from flight to quadrupedal walking and wing-assisted incline running. M4 copies this approach - enabling mass to be shared across modes and different components to work together. E.g aerodynamic lift can be used to manipulate contact friction and traction forces in wheeled mobility and allow steep slope locomotion, ➡️ What can we learn? The simplest solution wins. There are lots of cool robots in the lab but very few of these survive in the real world due to complexity...The easiest way to cut complexity - cut parts.  This paper highlights 2 lessons -  1) Multifunctional design is a great way to simplify and reduce parts 2) Don't reinvent the wheel (or robot) ... just copy nature To learn more check out the research paper - https://lnkd.in/erZSYAUP

Meet Bionic Kangaroo 🤖🦘 New drive concepts and forms of movement have always played a major role in the Bionic Learning Network. That is why a closer look is taken at the kangaroo and its unique way of moving and have incorporated this into the technology of the BionicKangaroo. Like its natural role model, it can recover the energy exerted when jumping, store it in its Achilles tendon and use it efficiently on the next jump. The important function of the natural Achilles tendon is performed by an elastic rubber band. It is attached to the rear part of the foot and parallel to a pneumatic cylinder on the knee joint, which triggers the jump. The artificial tendon cushions the jump during landing, absorbs the kinetic energy and releases it for the next jump – with the same technique as the natural kangaroo. Stable and dynamic jumping behaviour - The condition monitoring and the precise control technology ensure the required stability when jumping and landing. The robot kangaroo achieves its high jumping power with the aid of pneumatics. In the places where the highest positioning accuracy is called for, electric motors are used – for example, when it comes to controlling the tail and hip. The artificial kangaroo shows how pneumatic and electric drive technology can be combined efficiently and intelligently into a highly dynamic system. Intuitive operation using gesture control - The BionicKangaroo is easy to operate with gestures. A waving gesture sets it moving. The relevant hand signal makes it rotate around its own axis. A special wristband records the user’s movements and sends the signals via Bluetooth to the controller for the artificial kangaroo. Mobile energy supply on board - The engineers paid special attention to the mobile energy supply of the artificial kangaroo. The team even developed two different concepts for this – one with an integrated compressor and one with a mobile high-pressure storage device. The locomotor system is made of laser-sintered components reinforced with carbon. As a result, the artificial animal weighs just seven kilograms with a height of around one metre, and it can jump up to 40 centimetres high and up to a distance of 80 centimetres.

Researchers at EPFL have unveiled an innovative robot bird that blends terrestrial and aerial locomotion through advanced physics and engineering principles. Inspired by the biomechanics of avian species, it features lightweight, robust materials and multifunctional legs that store and release energy efficiently, enabling powerful jumps for rapid takeoffs. These legs are modeled to mimic the spring-like motion of tendons and muscles, leveraging principles of elastic potential energy to convert stored energy into kinetic energy during liftoff. This allows for faster, more energy-efficient flight initiation compared to traditional propeller-driven systems, which rely on continuous motor operation to achieve lift. The robot also integrates advanced aerodynamics for stable flight, utilizing biomimetic wing designs that optimize lift-to-drag ratios. Its ability to walk and hop over obstacles stems from precision actuators and sensors that calculate optimal force and trajectory, ensuring smooth transitions between ground and air mobility. These features make it highly adaptive to complex terrains, from rocky landscapes to dense forests, where conventional drones and robots would struggle. Future prospects for this #technology are promising. Its multi-modal capabilities could be applied in search-and-rescue missions, where navigating through collapsed structures or dense vegetation requires both ground movement and aerial maneuverability. In planetary exploration, it could traverse rugged terrains on Mars or the Moon, combining the efficiency of walking with the flexibility of flight. Further advancements may include incorporating solar-powered systems for extended autonomy, swarm robotics for collaborative tasks, and machine learning algorithms to enhance decision-making and obstacle avoidance. This groundbreaking #design not only bridges the gap between terrestrial and aerial robotics but also sets the stage for a new era of versatile, energy-efficient robotic systems capable of tackling a wide range of environmental and industrial challenges. 🎥@EPFL Video rights are reserved for the respective owner. #innovation #whatinspiresme

Scientists from ETH and Cambridge University have unveiled a new class of musculoskeletal robots that blend soft and rigid structures, using only a single 3D-printed material. They are inspired by biological systems like elephant trunks and limbs. By geometrically blending and superimposing basic lattice units, researchers can fine-tune stiffness and anisotropy to mimic tissues ranging from soft muscles to rigid bones. The result is a tendon-driven elephant-inspired robot featuring a flexible, continuously deformable trunk and sturdy, jointed legs. The trunk performs twisting, bending, and helical motions using minimal actuators, while the legs support dynamic walking and even environmental interaction. Nature’s a great teacher!

Imagine a lightweight drone that doesn’t just hover and land, but also strolls around on foot, jumps over small barriers, and then springs back into the sky - just like a crow hopping about before taking flight. That’s the concept behind RAVEN, developed at EPFL’s Laboratory of Intelligent Systems. What makes RAVEN unique? - Walk, hop, and jump: Its specially designed legs enable ground travel on uneven surfaces and allow it to leap upward for a quick take-off, eliminating the need for runways or launch ramps. - Efficient flight: After jumping, RAVEN uses fixed wings and a propeller for powered flight, blending the efficiency of an airplane with the agility of a hopping ground robot. - Nature inspired design: By studying the movements of real campus-dwelling crows, the engineering team replicated key leg structures and movements that help these birds walk, perch, and suddenly launch into the air. - Lightweight construction: Weighing just over half a kilogram, RAVEN carries enough hardware to handle ground exploration and aerial maneuvering without being weighed down. Traditional drones typically fly well but can’t handle ground obstacles or tight indoor spaces. Ground robots, on the other hand, often lack the ability to fly, which limits their reach in search-and-rescue or inspection tasks. RAVEN’s mixed approach tackles these challenges: - Disaster relief: It could explore debris-laden areas on foot, searching tight spots for survivors, then take flight for broader reconnaissance. - Inspections and monitoring: From bridges and tunnels to dense forests, RAVEN can get close to structures for detailed checks, then transition to aerial mode for an overview. Where do you see a multi-purpose drone like RAVEN making the biggest impact? #technology #innovation #management #startups #future

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 Researchers from EPFL (Switzerland) and Konkuk University (South Korea) have developed a new flapping microrobot inspired by rhinoceros beetles. This innovative robot passively deploys and retracts its wings, mimicking the natural movements of beetles without the need for extensive actuators. 🪲 Natural Mechanics: Unlike birds and bats, rhinoceros beetles passively deploy their hindwings using forces from their elytra and flapping motion. This insight led to creating an 18-gram microrobot with elastic tendons that allow passive wing deployment and retraction, enhancing its similarity to real insects. 🤖 Engineering Marvel: The microrobot, approximately twice the size of a beetle, can take off and maintain stable flight by activating its flapping motion. When at rest, it folds its wings along its body, protecting them from damage and allowing it to navigate narrow spaces. This design makes it ideal for search and rescue missions in confined spaces, where traditional drones cannot operate. 🌿 Future Applications: Due to its safe, low-flapping frequency, the robot could assist biologists in studying insect flight biomechanics, serve as spy insects for wildlife exploration, or act as an engineering toy for kids. Future improvements may include enhanced agility and ground locomotion capabilities like perching and crawling. 🌍 Broader Impact: This research significantly opens new avenues for creating insect-like robots that can operate in environments inaccessible to humans, showcasing the profound potential of biomimicry in advancing robotic technology. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eB97KxBG

🚀 Meet RAVEN: The Flying Robot That Walks, Jumps, and Soars 🦅 Drones are clumsy. They need open space, stable launch points, and struggle with rough terrain. Birds, on the other hand, dominate both air and land. That’s exactly what researchers at EPFL’s Laboratory of Intelligent Systems have captured in RAVEN—a robotic bird that walks, hops, jumps, and flies. 🔥 Inspired by ravens and crows, RAVEN’s multifunctional legs allow it to take off without a runway, land on rough surfaces, and even traverse obstacles that ground-based robots can’t handle. Traditional flying robots had to choose: either walk or fly—RAVEN does both. ✨ Why this matters: 🔹 Built for agility – It can jump-start its flight, making takeoff more energy-efficient. ⚡ 🔹 Nature’s blueprint, optimized – Lightweight avian-inspired legs mimic tendons and muscles. 🦵 🔹 Real-world impact – Imagine drones that can land in disaster zones, navigate tight spaces, or deliver aid without human intervention. 🎯 The future of robotics isn’t about copying nature—it’s about surpassing it. RAVEN isn’t just a flying robot. It’s a glimpse of what’s next: machines that move seamlessly across worlds, just like nature intended. 🌍✨ 🤔 What other real-world challenges do you think robots like RAVEN could help solve? Drop your thoughts below! ⬇️ #AI #Robotics #FlyingRobots #Drones #Innovation #FutureTech #Biomimicry #Aerospace #TechForGood

It's getting harder to tell the difference between birds and drones. Swiss researchers at EPFL just introduced RAVEN, an experimental drone designed to walk, hop, jump into flight, and fly like a real bird. RAVEN stands for Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments. The team from EPFL's Laboratory of Intelligent Systems (LIS) calls RAVEN a game changer for autonomous aerial technology. Its birdlike legs feature springs and motors to mimic the muscles and tensons of its avian counterparts. The legs allow RAVEN to navigate environments that would be difficult for traditional drones to handle. Weighing just 0.62 kg (1.37 lbs), RAVEN is weighs about the same as a crow but less than a raven. The lightweight design helps RAVEN maintain delicate balance for its unique movements. They researchers also found that jumping into flight is the most energy efficient way to take off. The initial boost for a drone to take off typically consumes the most energy compared to other phases of flight. This is because the drone must generate enough thrust to defy gravity with zero momentum. "Birds were the inspiration for airplanes in the first place, and the Wright brothers made this dream come true," LIS PhD student Wong Dong Shin said in a news release. "Birds can transition from walking to running and back again, without the aid of a runway or launcher. Engineering platforms for these kinds of movements are still missing in robotics." Possible real-world use cases for drones like RAVEN include industrial inspections, disaster response, and deliveries in tight urban environments. Researchers plan to improve RAVEN's landing capabilities and enhance its leg control systems. The team detailed its findings in its paper, "Fast ground-to-air transition with avian-inspired multifunctional legs," published in Nature. #robotics #innovation #drone #uav #epfl #bioinspired

Put the drone wings on… Drones are everywhere these days, from delivering packages to surveying disaster zones. But for all their usefulness, they have a big flaw. They are energy hogs and not exactly versatile. That is where RAVEN comes in. Developed by EPFL researchers in Switzerland, this clever drone borrows a few tricks from nature to solve some of the problems traditional drones cannot handle. RAVEN doesn’t stop at flying. It can walk, hop, and leap, just like the birds it is modeled after. Why does that matter? Those spring-loaded robotic legs make takeoffs faster and more efficient, cutting down on energy use and adding flexibility. At just 0.62 kg, it is light enough to stay nimble but packed with enough engineering smarts to handle tough environments. Think about what this means. Most drones need smooth runways or special launchers to get going, which limits where they can work. RAVEN, on the other hand, can take off with a leap, walk across rough terrain, or hop over obstacles. Whether it’s a disaster site, a remote mountain trail, or tight urban spaces, this drone is built to adapt. What’s really cool about RAVEN is how it brings together biology and technology. Birds figured out flight efficiency millions of years ago, and engineers are just now catching up. This proves that sometimes, nature already has the answers, and we just need to pay attention. What other ideas could we borrow from nature to make our technology smarter? Daily #electronics insights from Asia—follow me, Keesjan, and never miss a post by ringing my 🔔. #technology #innovation