Cockroaches offer inspiration for running robots | R&D Mag

By Editor, R&D Mag, Posted 12/30/09

Link: http://www.rdmag.com/News/2009/12/General-Science-Cockroaches-Offer-Inspirati...

"The sight of a cockroach scurrying for cover may be nauseating, but the insect is also a biological and engineering marvel, and is providing researchers at Oregon State Univ. with what they call “bioinspiration” in a quest to build the world’s first legged robot that is capable of running effortlessly over rough terrain."

"The latest findings—just published in the professional journal Bioinspiration and Biomimetics—outline how animals use their legs to manage energy storage and expenditure, and why this is so important for running stability. The work is being supported by the National Science Foundation." The authors note the potential applications of this research to space exploration and we note that space commerce will likely be partnered with NASA in such an endeavor.