ok, we've been through swarms, and self-replicating robots. let's talk
about biomorphic robots at general
@wikipedia
"Biomorphic robotics is a sub-discipline of robotics focused upon
emulating the mechanics, sensor systems, computing structures and
methodologies used by animals. In short, it is building robots
inspired by the principles of biological systems"
But our list is much more interesting and contain newest achievements
which wasn't documented yet in Wikipedia. And this post is more than
just a list, it is an attempt to answer the question what can we learn
from animals about robots, and about them.
Robots imitating animals? Oh, yes, it was always like that. But why?
Please, take some time to watch, we have them all, "all the zoo of
robotics", fishes,dogs,snakes,salamandras, cockroaches,birds..
Why would scientists want to imitate all this farm?
This will not take you a lot of time and one day maybe can even save
your life;). Try to look at robots as they were real animals. Try to
observe they behaviour, but forgot about appearance, they are not
sculptures, they don't have to pretend nothing. How close they seem to
animal world in your opinion?
A FISH, A CARP..
BIG DOG:
This possibly the greatest and most powerfull robot ever. Built by
DARPA, you have probably seen this!
Watch closely how it reacts when kicked. How it behave on ice. What
animal does it look like?
Believe it or not you can find list of robotic dogs.. in Wikipedia!
The famous is japanese robot Aibo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_robotic_dogs
SNAKE:
"Why can snakes move ahead on without legs?"
From this problem, we starts every research of snake biomechanisms.
Snake Robots have many possible applications, even though the
structures are simple.
SALAMANDRA:
Salamandra robot? how weird is this?
If you are still with me and reading you've come to the greates part.
There is a chance you can understand WHAT IS THIS ROBOT REALLY ABOUT.
This is work of team from "Lossana Polytechnique". Their work
demonstrates that spinal cords of salamandras contains rather
sophisticated neural circuits that can control complex movements while
receiving only HIGH-LEVEL command signals. And here we come to a
moment when biomorphism in robotics helps us understanding
biology,evolution.. maybe even more! If you are a
programmer/administrator you probably know what "high-level command"
means. It means abstraction. When you finally realize that what
differs us from salamandras is just few levels of abstraction.. That
is where robotics is becoming very scary.
COCKROACH:
Yes, cockroaches. If you're courious to see robot climbing up the
wall, watch this one:
BIRD:
Flying mechanism similar to that we can observe on animals, is very
sophisticated, and hard to imitate. There are some breakthroughs
lately, I found a movie of a very slow flying robot. Amazing.
So you thought robots can imitate only animals?
A FLOWER:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_robot
What else robot could imitate? Do you feel threatened by robots?
After this post I would like you to know what biomorphic robotics
mean, and what it means to you;p
http://birg.epfl.ch/page65446.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_robot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomorphic_robotics
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ReplyDeleteWhat else robot could imitate?
ReplyDeleteI guess nothing else can be replaced by a robot instead of animals, including humans and plants. However, I think animals can be improved by increasing their efficiency. Let us say of such a super bee, which would produce 10x more than regular honey bee. But I came pretty unusual idea - I'm dreaming of an anti-mosquito bug, which would a robot that would be our personal microscopic guard and would protect us against mosquitoes at night :)
Do you feel threatened by robots?
Absolutely not, despite the fact that there are many films about robots ruling the planet and leading to the end of the world. I believe that robots can only help us - I am an optimist :) There is only programmed piece of junk. Nothing more, and nothing intelligent. What is more I am sure that even if AI is discovered one day it's functions will be highly limited to serve only our purposes.
Robots can imitate animals but only the way they move, walk etc.. some animals like dogs (some says cats, pigs or even horses) have their personality or "animal soul" and that's what robot couldn't imitate for now.
ReplyDeleteDo you feel threatened by robots?
Now absolutely not, but when robots will be able build repair and update their firmware themselves we should be worried. Although I'd love to have anti-bug and anti-moskito robot.
Someone who will invent this kind of robot will be billionaire
microscopic guard protecting us against mosquitoes at night is a great idea, I see you got the gist of my blog entry !
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDespite that the true AI is unreachable now and in the nearest future or even at all, robots can be a threat. It depends on how they will be used and how much resposibility will be entrusted in them. As we saw on the videos you presented, robots are coping with moving quite well, even in the water or in the air. Imagine that someone will use a robot to plant a bomb. That can be a serious threat. By the way, I wonder if development in a biomorphic robotics field will be so successful, that in the future we will see a robot runing/hunting like a real lion or cheetah.
ReplyDeleteI think that the nature has developed and improved animals for millions of years. The human is doing it for half a century, so the is now chance, that he can invent something better then nature has done. That's why I think that people should base on great achievements of nature. And biomorphic robots are the best example of that.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Adam. The human draws inspiration from the nature and still follow it. I don't belive in true AI, so I don't feel threatened by robots.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't believe in AI - this basically means you haven't read enough. Human intelligence is just very sophisticated example of something you could call AI nowadays - soon you will see some things to come - it is not about writing software that could deal with every case, it is about dealing with problems autonomously. Have you seen DARPA URBAN CHALLENGE movies?
ReplyDeleteKrzysztof: I love you anti-mosquito idea!
ReplyDeleteI saw the demo videos of this boston dinamics robot, i was really amased with the movments, and overall 'dog like' behavior. I think this robot was made for US Army. But it'amasing how it can operate/walk/jump at difficult terain. I think the robots are closer to become a reality than we think. And the people/company which will make them is going to be second 'google'
ReplyDeleteGreat videos and great robots. I would love to buy smaller fish-robot like that. The best thing is that you don't have to remember to feed it :)
ReplyDeleteI don't get making cockroach-robots or something like that. Climbing robot is interesting, but is't it just a matter of special legs(omitting software)?
This dog is totally awesome. They must put a lot of work to make such a great robot. Although, after looking at it for a moment, I can't loose the viev of two guys moving one forwards and the other one backwards :)
I don't feel threatened by robots, I actually find them very pleasant.