Top 10 animal-inspired tech

I personally love a bit of animal-, nature-inspired tech, and it was great to see engineers and researchers looking to nature for ingenious technological solutions. These technologies are a reminder of the inspiration that can be found in the natural world and how we as humans continue to learn from it and the animals that inhabit it.

Here, I take a look at the top 10 tech innovations based on animals in 2024.

Micro-robots inspired by the insect world

Researchers at Washington State University have unveiled two micro-robots, taking cues from the insect realm to push the boundaries of technology.

These tiny marvels, mirroring a mini-bug and a water strider, represent the pinnacle of micro-robotic development in terms of size, weight, and speed. The advent of such robots opens up new horizons for their application in fields ranging from artificial pollination and search and rescue operations to environmental surveillance, micro-manufacturing, and robot-assisted medical procedures. (Read more.)

Robotic guide dogs: pioneering assistive technology

Blind and partially sighted individuals may soon navigate indoor spaces more freely with the assistance of a robotic guide dog.

The University of Glasgow, in collaboration with industry partners and two prominent charities, is spearheading the RoboGuide project – an AI-powered, four-legged robot that aims to enhance the mobility of visually impaired people in settings such as museums, shopping centres, hospitals, and other public venues. (Read more.)

How biomimicry of feline eyes can advance robotic vision

Scientists have long been inspired by nature when developing new technologies, and robotic vision is no exception.

A recent study published in Science Advances explores how the structure of a cat's eye can inspire more effective vision systems in robots, particularly those operating in complex environments. By mimicking the way feline eyes detect and process visual information, especially under changing light conditions, engineers could enhance the performance of robots, drones, and autonomous vehicles. (Read more.)

Sharks inspire eco innovation with riblet technology

Riblet technology is helping airlines reduce fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions.

The technology, which is inspired by the streamlined surfaces of shark skin, was first adopted by some airlines in 2022, and is now being rolled out across the industry, promising more efficient air travel. (Read more.)

Squid games: a breakthrough in electronic-free displays

Researchers from the University of Michigan have developed a new type of display technology inspired by the way squids communicate. This electronic-free system uses magnetic fields to create flexible displays that can securely show and hide information.

Squids can rapidly change the colour of their skin by contracting and expanding muscles around pigment-filled cells. The research team has developed a similar system using tiny particles, called Magnetoactive Janus Particles (MAJPs). Each particle has two sides – one light and one dark. By applying magnetic fields, these particles flip between their states, just like a squid changing colours to send messages. (Read more.)

Octopus-inspired tech can signal and deceive

In a fascinating new development, researchers from the University of California (UCI) have unveiled a new technological platform, drawing inspiration from the greater blue-ringed octopus, Hapalochlaena lunulata.

This marine creature, native to the Western and Indian Oceans, is known for its unique ability to rapidly change the colour and pattern of its skin, which assists in camouflage, signalling, and even deception.

The UCI team, led by Alon Gorodetsky, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Preeta Pratakshya, a recent PhD. graduate, have successfully replicated these natural capabilities in a technological format. Their innovation promises to transform various fields, including the military, medicine, robotics, and sustainable energy. (Read more.)

Advancing UAV stability through kestrel-inspired wing morphing

In a recent study, ‘Steady as they hover: kinematics of kestrel wing and tail morphing during hovering flights,’ researchers from RMIT University and the University of Bristol have explored the intricate biomechanics of kestrel flight, offering valuable insights into how these birds achieve remarkable stability while wind-hovering.

The analysis, which is focussed on the nankeen kestrel (Falco cenchroides), looks at how the study of these birds has the potential to influence the future design of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially those requiring enhanced stability in challenging environmental conditions. (Read more.)

RAVEN inspired drone takes flight

The Robotic Avian-inspired Vehicle for multiple ENvironments (RAVEN) is a drone that is inspired by the natural world. Developed via a collaboration between the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of California, Irvine, RAVEN aims to operate across multiple terrains without the constraints of traditional designs.

The fascination with bird-like drones is not new, engineers have long sought out the ways in which they can replicate the complex mechanics of avian movement. Projects like Eagle Eye Solutions’ Flapping Wing Falcon, or Festo’s SmartBird are designed to mimic the motion of birds in flights, and drones such as Standford University’s ‘stereotyped nature-inspired aerial grasper’ (SNAG) are designed to perch like a bird. (Read more.)

Robotapillar: the fusion of origami and engineering

Engineers from Princeton and North Carolina State University have crafted a soft robot called the 'Robotapillar' to wiggle past the current limitations of traditional robotics when in tight or dangerous spaces.

The Robotapillar, with its modular, cylindrical segments, is designed to operate either as independent units or to link together, forming an extended, adaptable structure which allows the robot to navigate through complex mazes with agility and precision. Taking inspiration from the ancient, and decorative, pastime of origami (or paper folding), the Robotapillar’s design is a mixture of traditional design techniques and modern materials science. (Read more.)

Termin-spiration: termites inspire lunar mounds in space

In the quest for human expansion into space, the University of Arizona's College of Engineering is pioneering an approach that draws inspiration from one of nature's most impressive architects: termites.

Under the leadership of Associate Professor Jekan Thanga, a team of student researchers is developing shelters for astronauts that could be deployed on the moon, leveraging the unique construction principles of termite mounds. This initiative is a part of NASA's Artemis programme, which aims to return Americans to the moon and establish a lunar base by the decade's end. (Read more.)