Scientists are exploring how the cockroach runs effortlessly in hopes of building a running robot that could have a variety of uses, including military operations, exploring space, and even for improving the function of artificial limbs for amputees.
“Humans can run, but frankly our capabilities are nothing compared to what insects and some other animals can do,” said John Schmitt, an assistant professor in the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at OSU. “Cockroaches are incredible. They can run fast, turn on a dime, move easily over rough terrain, and react to perturbations faster than a nerve impulse can travel.” If successful, imagine the possibilities for increased mobility among amputees, individuals missing limbs from birth, or victims of war tragedies or other injuries leading to loss of one or both lower limbs.
Cockroaches run effortlessly, using little energy, which is a goal of the research team. The findings, just published in the professional journal Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, discuss how animals run, while using their legs for energy storage and expenditure – something that would be important for robotic development also.
“If we ever develop robots that can really run over rough ground, they can’t afford to use so much of their computing abilities and energy demand to accomplish it,” Schmitt said. “A cockroach doesn’t think much about running, it just runs. And it only slows down about 20 percent when going over blocks that are three times higher than its hips. That’s just remarkable, and an indication that their stability has to do with how they are built, rather than how they react.”
The scientists found a computer robot model that can actually recover and move quickly and efficiently over changes in ground surface – and the cockroach computer model could make building such a robot more than just a virtual reality. The researchers, from Oregon State University, call their quest to build a running robot based on studying the cockroach a “bioinspiration”.
Efficiency of movement, inspired by animals, is nothing new. Martial artists have practiced animal movements for centuries. Robotics applied to medicine is an exciting field, though a variety of applications, as previously mentioned, are certainly possible. Building a robotic cockroach could lead to better prosthetic devices to help amputees, as researchers learn how to develop robotic limbs that move well, turn, and stop quickly.
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by on 29. Dec, 2009 in Health News
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