Biomimicry

You may not know what a springtail is but man, those little things can jump! Scientists have now copied the creatures' jumping mechanism in a small robot that could one day explore places that people can't go.

It’s hard to get glue to work underwater – unless you’re a mussel. Scientists have now created a new adhesive that combines the stickiness of mussel’s natural glue with the slimy, germ-repelling nature of mucus.

If a robot is being used to gather data in sensitive aquatic environments, it shouldn't have a whirring propeller that could harm wildlife or get caught in weeds. A new bot addresses that issue by utilizing a swimming mechanism inspired by flatworms.

You may think that if a species died out millions of years ago, its design would be too old to have any applications in our technology. A new analysis of pterosaur bones, however, suggests that they could inspire lighter, stronger aircraft materials.

Geckos are able to maintain a grip on wet surfaces not because their toe pads repel water, but because they attract it. A new polymer, which was inspired by this phenomenon, could find use in shoe soles that keep people from slipping on ice.

A study suggests that a certain salamander may be able to control its grip on trees' bark by pumping blood in and out of the tips of its toes. This strategy could one day be copied in human technology such as prosthetic hands and reusable adhesives.

With sights set firmly on supporting the development of hybrid boats, BlueNav has integrated its unique whale-inspired hubless electric drive into a new smart propulsion system with both ICE and electric power.

Pine cones are pretty smart for things with no brains, enough so that scientists have copied them to create a unique window shading system. The setup blocks sunlight in the summer and lets it through in the winter, without using any electricity.

If you're setting out to build an underwater robot that's speedy, maneuverable and versatile, why not just copy what already works in the natural world? That's exactly what Beatbot has done, with its bio-inspired Amphibious RoboTurtle.

It was just two years ago that a tiny robotic manta ray became the world's fastest-swimming soft-bodied robot. Well, one of its descendants has now smashed that record – and it uses less energy than its predecessor, to boot.

While autonomous flying robots have some intriguing potential applications, their usefulness is limited if they can't move across uneven terrain once they land. A new bio-inspired bot can do so, however, by mimicking the gait of the raven.

Even if you don't know what 3D microfluidic networks are, that doesn't change the fact that they have some very valuable possible uses. Scientists have now devised a much easier method of making the things, by taking casts of plant roots.