When we imagine a dystopian future, it’s almost always filled with robotic assistants. We do not have to stretch our imaginations too far to think of ways that machines could help us: they could play a role in warfare, join rescue teams, or carry our shopping. Today, many scientists are dedicated to constructing machines that can fill these roles – and finding the optimal designs was easy, as nature had already provided the templates.
Animals have adapted to excel in every environment on the planet. Species exist in extreme temperatures, reside on mountaintops, and live in the depths of the ocean. Engineers hope to capture their natural affinity for these locations by copying their specialised features and characteristics. Imitating animal anatomy also allows us to gift robots with admirable abilities, such as incredible speed or the power of flight.
Huge inroads have already been made towards building these machines. A cheetah, the fastest land animal on Earth, achieves great speeds using its flexible spine. The animal’s robotic counterpart, developed by Boston Dynamics, flexes its back in a similar way to run at over 45 km per hour. Meanwhile, the giant AlphaDog can carry up to 180 kilograms over large distances, the robotic equivalent of a reliable pack mule.
From the tiny RoboBees that could pollinate crops or monitor traffic, to the ape-like android that might even help us to explore Mars, robotic animals of all sizes are really starting to show their potential, and the applications appear to be endless.
