They're Robots!? Those Beasts!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/16/technology/circuits/16robo.html

Although all of the blog entries thus far have regarded biomimetics as related to medicine, however, it is important to understand that there are several other applications for biomimetics outside of the medical field. In order to shed light on this, and wrap up the Current Topics in Biomimetics blog, I’ve chosen to post an article from the September 16, 2004 edition of the New York Times. This article, written by Scott Kirsner, discusses the use of biomimetic robots, machines inspired by biology, that have the potential to go places that the robots of today’s generation wouldn’t even be able to come close to.

These new-age robots can be used to detect mines, divert the attention of enemies in wartime situations, understand the migratory patterns of certain animals, inspect underground fuel tanks, planetary exploration, as well as perform medical tests and surgeries. One particular biomimetic robot that was profiled in this article was the RoboLobster, designed by Joseph Ayers of Northeastern University. The RoboLobster is a seven-pound, boxy-shelled black lobster funded by the Office of Naval Research to hunt for mines buried beneath beaches, or floating in shallow waters. Dr. Ayers explained that animals are able to adapt to any niche that we would ever want to operate a robot in. The environments in which these mines are hidden are considered fairly harsh by any biological standards; however, live lobsters seem to have no trouble maintaining a sure footing. Thus it makes sense to approach the hazardous issue of these buried mines, by trying to design a robot based off of an incredibly well adapted organism to the area in which they are located.

Another area in which these biomimetic robots are being tailored to is the military. The military has shown an interest in “animal-like” robots since 1968 when General Electric designed an elephant-like walking machine. Another idea that is currently under investigation is a robotic mule that could be used to carry equipment for soldiers and enable them to march longer distances. Also, a company called Yobotics is developing a robotic dog that could potentially serve as a distraction to a sniper, giving soldiers a chance to defend themselves.

This brings up a very controversial issue in the way of these biomimetic robots. They’re incredibly expensive so there is a very valid public question as to whether they’re worth it. This is specifically in regard to the use of these robots for military purposes. There’s a high likelihood that in the face of weapons, machinery, and potentially heavy fire, these biomimetic robots will be destroyed, and reduced to nothing more than the biologically inspired parts that they were put together with. Thus, the thousands of dollars that were spent building this robot, in addition to the money necessary for research and development, may potentially be put to waste in the span of less than a year should the robot be used in the military.

However, as I mentioned earlier, these robots do have medical applications as well, which may make them more sensible in regard to their cost. Biomimetic robots have the potential to be used in robotic surgeries, should a biological model be deemed a better system than human hands. Thus, these biomimetic robots have the potential to be the future of medical surgeries.