Animalistic robots ready to unleash

Photo by Robbin Cresswell

Chris Prahacs walks a Robotic Hexapod, a biologically inspired robot with six rotating legs, over a pile of rocks during the Lackland Force Protection Battlelab Exposition last month at Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The 30-pound roach-like robot also swims.

(This is the final installment of a three part series examining how animal and insect research is helping to protect humans.)

Defense Advanced Research Project Agency researchers have studied many animal characteristics over the years. Scientists have longed to better understand how nocturnal animals function and whether the capabilities certain species possess might have practical applications for the military.

For example, the agency is intrigued by a dolphin’s ability to sleep portions of its brain, while other parts remain awake to keep it from drowning. Military officials have a constant eye on the research in hopes of applying this technique in some capacity to soldiers. Battlefield fatigue has become and will continue to be major military obstacle in war.

The agency has also looked into the unique characteristics of animals and insects other than dolphins. Researchers want to better understand how certain species can walk on walls, traverse rocky terrain and even slither.

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