Name: Robots inspired by cockroach ingenuity
Uploaded: 2008-06-19T01:05:00Z
Duration: 20 min 2 s
Description: Insects and animals have evolved some amazing skills -- but, as Robert Full notes, many animals are actually over-engineered. The trick is to copy only what's necessary. He shows how human engineers can learn from animals' tricks.

Robert Full: Robots inspired by cockroach ingenuity

Robots inspired by cockroach ingenuity

Insects and animals have evolved some amazing skills -- but, as Robert Full notes, many animals are actually over-engineered. The trick is to copy only what's necessary. He shows how human engineers can learn from animals' tricks.

Biological creatures like geckos and cockroaches move with astonishing agility thanks to millions of years of evolutionary trial and error. Their legs act as springs, allowing even simple-bodied insects to scramble over obstacles without slowing down or needing a brain to control every move. Rather than copying nature exactly, engineers are learning to harness these underlying design principles to build robots that are both robust and adaptable. Gecko-inspired adhesives and springy-legged machines reveal how studying animal movement unlocks new possibilities for technology.