Life-saving robotics inspired by evolution

In the latest episode of 'Tech for Good', CNN anchor and correspondent, Kristie Lu Stout, meets students and professors around the world developing the next generation of life-changing robotics inspired by nature.

In Korea, the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed robot controller technology called 'DreamWaQ' that enables blind locomotion. This AI system, trained using deep learning for navigating various types of simulated terrain, will potentially be able to aid in search and rescue missions, particularly in fire or disaster situations, to help locate people in dark or smoky environments. On a lighter note, the DreamWaQ technology was also notably installed in the Hound 2, the Guinness World Record holder for the fastest 100m sprint by a quadruped robot. Watch as Kristie Lu Stout challenges the KAIST Hound 2 on the racetrack! Finally, meet CAROS-H, a wall-climbing drone developed by KAIST researchers, inspired by six-legged insects and capable of both flight and walking.

Journeying to the Netherlands, scientists at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have drawn inspiration from various animals and insects at their Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) Lab. For instance, the MAVLab team has created microdrones that navigate based on 'odometry' — a technique employed by ants and other insects to track visual cues and number of steps, which uses significantly less processing power than other traditional navigational tools. Meanwhile, researchers at TU Delft's Biomorphic Intelligence Lab are developing biomorphic whisker sensors that will allow drones to navigate in the dark. The inspiration? One of the professor's pet rabbits!

Down under, insect/machine hybrid robots are being developed at the University of Queensland, Australia, where a team, inspired by the body structure of insects, is fusing miniature control backpacks onto living insects. By capitalizing on their natural mobility and adaptability, these tiny cyborgs could theoretically be deployed in small cavities and confined spaces, providing a low cost and low energy solution for search and rescue operations.