Despite remarkable progress in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, researchers have identified why today’s robots are yet to surpass the velocity of Earth’s quickest creatures. A recent study examining the interplay between robotic capabilities and animalistic prowess sheds light on this phenomenon.
Drawing from an analysis of over a hundred prior studies, the researchers evaluated how robots stack up against animals in terms of power, structure, actuation, perception, and control. The findings indicated that the challenge isn’t a shortfall in a specific aspect, but rather, the synthesis of these components in harmony—a feat nature has perfected over millennia.
According to Kaushik Jayaram, a mechanical engineer from the University of Colorado Boulder, “At the system level, robots are not as good.” Improvements in one area, like velocity, often lead to compromises in another, such as maneuverability.
For example, a robot modeled after a cockroach that Jayaram worked on in 2020 exemplifies a design that is fast in straight movement but struggles with turns or uneven terrain.
The study suggests that the interactions between various design elements in a complex system may lead to beneficial emergent properties, though these are difficult to anticipate.
Animals, even tiny insects, demonstrate superior abilities over most robots to sense their environment and adapt accordingly, a critical advantage for moving both quickly and safely.
In the context of power, while engines and batteries have their strengths, animal power is intricately fused with sensory processing at the cellular level.
“Animals are, in some sense, the embodiment of this ultimate design principle – a system that functions really well together,” Jayaram reflects. To him, nature holds invaluable design lessons.
The research aims to drive innovation towards robots that are more versatile and adaptive to different situations, potentially by integrating ‘functional subunits’ that blend power, sensing, and locomotion as seen in biological organisms.
A greater grasp of these concepts is necessary to surpass the evolutionary advantage held by animals like cheetahs and cockroaches in natural locomotion, despite impressive engineering feats such as space exploration.
“It’s confounding that we do not yet have robots that are significantly better than biological systems at locomotion in natural environments,” laments Jayaram.
The detailed findings are documented in Science Robotics.
FAQ
- Why haven’t modern robots been able to outpace the fastest animals?
- The inability to outpace the fastest animals stems from the challenge of integrating components such as power, structure, actuation, sensing, and control with the same efficiency as evolution has achieved in living organisms.
- What areas do animals excel in compared to robots?
- Animals are better at sensing their environment and adapting their movements, having power intimately linked with sensory data at the cellular level, and optimizing multiple system functions in tandem.
- What could be a potential direction for improving robot design?
- Emulating the design of functional subunits in organisms, where different functional elements such as power, sensing, and movement are interwoven, might lead to more adaptable and efficient robots.
- Does the study suggest that we should give up on building fast robots?
- No, the study encourages engineers to learn from natural designs and find new ways of integrating robot subsystems to improve flexibility and adaptability in various environments.
Conclusion
The intriguing research into why robots have yet to outmatch the fastest animals reveals a multifaceted challenge. It’s not a lack of progress in individual technological areas, but rather how they are synthesized into a cohesive, adaptable, and efficient system as nature does so effortlessly. The study highlights the intricate harmony of evolution’s designs and serves as a call to action for engineers to innovate by drawing lessons from the organic world. As we continue to marvel at the capabilities of both natural and artificial forms of motion, the quest for robots that seamlessly traverse any terrain as adeptly as their living counterparts remains an inspiring and provoking frontier of science and engineering.