Biomimetics
Related papers: 20
About
Biomimetics is the practice of drawing design principles, structures, and mechanisms from biological organisms to engineer artificial systems. In robotics and AI, this approach translates natural solutions—refined over millions of years of evolution—into functional technologies: robotic fish modeled on aquatic locomotion, insect-scale flying robots that replicate flapping-wing aerodynamics, soft grippers inspired by compliant biological appendages, and electronic skins that mimic the sensory richness of human dermis. Researchers also borrow from phenomena like gecko adhesion, shark hydrodynamics, and plant-like actuators responsive to light or moisture. These biological blueprints inform the selection of soft materials, actuation strategies, and sensor architectures in ways that conventional rigid-body engineering often cannot achieve. Biomimetics matters because natural organisms have already solved problems of efficiency, adaptability, and resilience that remain challenging to engineer from first principles. By studying and replicating these solutions, roboticists can build systems that navigate complex environments, interact safely with humans, and operate with far greater dexterity and energy efficiency than their traditional counterparts.
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Top Cited Papers
Design, fabrication and control of soft robots
Daniela Rus, Michael T. Tolley
Citations: 5556 • 2015
25th Anniversary Article: The Evolution of Electronic Skin (E‐Skin): A Brief History, Design Considerations, and Recent Progress
Mallory L. Hammock, Alex Chortos, Benjamin C. K. Tee, Jeffrey B.‐H. Tok, Zhenan Bao
Citations: 2362 • 2013
An electrically and mechanically self-healing composite with pressure- and flexion-sensitive properties for electronic skin applications
Benjamin C. K. Tee, Chao Wang, Ranulfo Allen, Zhenan Bao
Citations: 1405 • 2012
Controlled Flight of a Biologically Inspired, Insect-Scale Robot
Y. Kevin, Pakpong Chirarattananon, Sawyer B. Fuller, Robert J. Wood
Citations: 1102 • 2013
Hydraulic hydrogel actuators and robots optically and sonically camouflaged in water
Hyunwoo Yuk, Shaoting Lin, Chu Ma, Mahdi Takaffoli, Nicholas X. Fang, Xuanhe Zhao
Citations: 972 • 2017
Recent Progress in Electronic Skin
Xiandi Wang, Lin Dong, Hanlu Zhang, Ruomeng Yu, Caofeng Pan, Zhong Lin Wang
Citations: 962 • 2015
Autonomous Soft Robotic Fish Capable of Escape Maneuvers Using Fluidic Elastomer Actuators
Andrew D. Marchese, Çağdaş D. Önal, Daniela Rus
Citations: 915 • 2014
The First Takeoff of a Biologically Inspired At-Scale Robotic Insect
Robert J. Wood
Citations: 905 • 2008
A hierarchically patterned, bioinspired e-skin able to detect the direction of applied pressure for robotics
Clémentine M. Boutry, Marc Negre, Mikael Jorda, Orestis Vardoulis, Alex Chortos, Zhenan Bao
Citations: 888 • 2018
Controlled flight of a microrobot powered by soft artificial muscles
Yufeng Chen, Huichan Zhao, Jie Mao, Pakpong Chirarattananon, E. Farrell Helbling, Nak-seung Patrick Hyun, David R. Clarke, Robert J. Wood
Citations: 833 • 2019
Conversion of light into macroscopic helical motion
Supitchaya Iamsaard, Sarah J. Aßhoff, Benjamin Matt, Tibor Kudernác, Jeroen J. L. M. Cornelissen, Stephen P. Fletcher, Nathalie Katsonis
Citations: 749 • 2014
A light-driven artificial flytrap
Owies M. Wani, Hao Zeng, Arri Priimägi
Citations: 687 • 2017
Self-healing electronic skins for aquatic environments
Yue Cao, Yu Jun Tan, Si Li, Wang Wei Lee, Hongchen Guo, Yongqing Cai, Chao Wang, Benjamin C. K. Tee
Citations: 639 • 2019
Design, fabrication and control of origami robots
Daniela Rus, Michael T. Tolley
Citations: 622 • 2018
Recent Progress in Biomimetic Anisotropic Hydrogel Actuators
Xiaoxia Le, Wei Lü, Jiawei Zhang, Tao Chen
Citations: 575 • 2019
Multi-functional soft-bodied jellyfish-like swimming
Ziyu Ren, Wenqi Hu, Xiaoguang Dong, Metin Sitti
Citations: 571 • 2019
Biohybrid actuators for robotics: A review of devices actuated by living cells
Leonardo Ricotti, Barry A. Trimmer, Adam W. Feinberg, Ritu Raman, Kevin Kit Parker, Rashid Bashir, Metin Sitti, Sylvain Martel, Paolo Dario, Arianna Menciassi
Citations: 520 • 2017
A supramolecular biomimetic skin combining a wide spectrum of mechanical properties and multiple sensory capabilities
Zhouyue Lei, Peiyi Wu
Citations: 520 • 2018
Synthetic gecko foot-hair micro/nano-structures as dry adhesives
Metin Sitti, Ronald S. Fearing
Citations: 498 • 2003
Biomimetic shark skin: design, fabrication and hydrodynamic function
Li Wen, James C. Weaver, George Lauder
Citations: 454 • 2014