7 animal-inspired robots solving real-world engineering challenges

Seven animal-inspired robots are being developed to handle engineering tasks in hard-to-reach or dangerous environments.

The lineup includes robot dogs, snake robots, gecko-like climbers, a sea-snake robot, a robotic fish, and an elephant-trunk-style arm.

These biomimetic machines are being tested for industrial inspection, disaster response, wall climbing, subsea maintenance, and aquaculture monitoring.

Groups such as Boston Dynamics, Eelume, EPFL, CREATE lab, and Universitat Jaume I are showing how nature can improve robotics performance.