Cockroaches are fast and nearly invincible, which makes them terrifying to most people. But those qualities are perfect inspiration for a swarm of engine-maintenance robots.…
biomimicry
Living sea walls give marine life something to hold onto
Australian researchers are developing living seawalls and artificial reefs to support native marine life as rapidly growing coastal populations expand beyond shorelines.…
New biomaterial could lead to more eco-friendly structures
Researchers have found a way to transfer the incredible strength of the tiny fibres that make up plants and wood to a lightweight, biodegradable material that could eventually replace plastic and stee…
One fusion startup hopes the pistol shrimp can unlock energy’s ‘holy grail’
Crustaceans have inspired innovative developments from eco-friendly marine antifouling to a camera for detecting cancer. Could they show us how to gain energy from fusion?…
Biotextilogy: A new genre of advanced materials inspired by nature’s best designs
A team of engineers is using nature’s weaving patterns as inspiration for a new genre of advanced textiles and materials. To replicate these patterns, they use one of the world’s first com…
The octopus is helping us become masters of disguise
Cephalopods have long been admired for their impressive hiding abilities. A team of researchers wants to mimic these camouflaging abilities to engineer a material that can conceal objects from sight a…
These new developments have technology buzzing like a bee
As bee numbers decline, technological developments are stepping up to help – including RoboBees that move and act like the real thing to track bee movements and enhance pollination.…
New adhesive gets a grip underwater thanks to unique microstructures
Mushroom-shaped microstructures give this new adhesive an almost unbreakable bond in wet environments, making it ideal for use in medicine and engineering.…
Robots mimic jumping spiders and bees
“Imagine if the current trend of a declining bee population continues, swarms of robot bees pollinating crops and flowers could become a reality,”says Dr Mostafa Nabawy from The University…
Soft robots could one day slither and crawl to complete rescue missions
Engineers have created a new soft robot using the ancient Japanese art of kirigami to help it crawl like a snake.…