A comprehensive study reveals that advanced robots fail to surpass fast animals, despite years of innovation. By examining over one hundred studies, researchers find that these machines lack effective integration of essential elements. Nature, having millions of years of evolution, presents optimal designs that robots cannot match. As a result, creatures like felines and insects continue to excel due to their superior adaptability and agility.
The Key Information
- Advanced robots do not surpass fast animals.
- Research highlights limitations in robot performance.
- Animals benefit from millions of years of evolution in their design.
- The pursuit for more flexible and adaptable robots is ongoing.
Advanced Robots and Fast Animals
When discussing advanced robots, the idea is often conveyed that they could one day overshadow the fastest animals, such as the cheetah or the cockroach. However, recent research indicates that this aspiration is still far from reality. Indeed, it has been shown that robots generally do not exceed the performance of fast animals, and this is for reasons that may surprise many experts.
Surprising Reasons
A large number of studies, over one hundred in total, have been examined to understand this dynamic. At first glance, one might think that a robot’s maximum speed could propel them beyond animal capabilities. However, this perspective is limited by several key factors.
Lack of Integration of Elements
One of the main issues encountered is that robots lack effective integration of the various elements necessary for high-level locomotion: power, frame, actuation, sensory capabilities, and control. In the animal kingdom, these elements are harmoniously combined over millions of years of evolution, allowing for an adaptability and agility that machines struggle to match.
Inability to Excel Overall
Another point to consider is that robots cannot excel in all areas at the same time. For instance, optimizing for speed might hinder agility, creating a dichotomy that limits their functionality. In the natural world, animals like insects perfectly illustrate how such adaptability translates into a significant advantage over current machines.
Integration of Power and Sensory Information
The muscles and tissues of animals are also capable of integrating power and sensory information much more effectively than robotic mechanisms. This efficiency translates into extraordinary performance in locomotion, making any attempt by robots to compete with species like cheetahs and cockroaches even more daunting.
An Optimal Design Principle
Animals embody an optimal design principle, with a biology refined by evolution. This reality underscores a hard lesson for engineers: despite the ingenuity of human engineering, there are still many limitations in robotic locomotion that technical innovations have not adequately addressed.
Aspiration for Increased Flexibility
Current research, however, aspires to develop more flexible and adaptable robots. To achieve this, it is crucial to think about creating functional subunits akin to animal cells, which could enable better integration and adaptability in response to the dynamic challenges of the environment.
Exploration of Trade-offs and Emerging Properties
The trade-offs between different characteristics and emerging properties also deserve deeper exploration. Advances in this field may eventually pave the way for a better understanding of locomotion, but for now, cheetahs and cockroaches still hold the advantage. In summary, robots continue to face significant challenges in effectively competing with the animal world in terms of speed and agility.
