Application of Robotics
Jagjit Singh Dhatterwal, Kuldeep Singh Kaswan, Reenu Batra · 2024
Robotics is not an exception to the rule that scientific and technological progress has been inspired by nature. Nature-inspired robotics is an emerging discipline that utilizes biological systems and processes as inspiration for the development of novel robotic systems that are capable of executing intricate tasks. This chapter examines the wide-ranging implementations of nature-inspired robotics in different sectors, emphasizing their capacity to improve productivity, flexibility, and environmental friendliness in numerous domains. A notable implementation of robotics inspired by nature is observed in the domain of search and rescue operations. Robots modeled after animals, such as those with legs or resembling snakes, exhibit exceptional dexterity when traversing difficult terrains, facilitating their navigation through areas devastated by disasters. By traversing debris, ascending stairs, and entering confined spaces, these mechanized devices assist in locating survivors and rescuing them while minimizing the dangers to human rescuers. Agriculture is another significant sector that benefits from robotics inspired by nature. Advanced sensor and camera-equipped autonomous systems can monitor crop health, detect pests and diseases, and optimize the use of resources, such as water and fertilizers, by emulating the sensing capabilities of insects and birds. This methodology advances precision agriculture, resulting in increased agricultural productivity, diminished ecological repercussions, and improved food production sustainability. Robotics inspired by nature is also utilized in the investigation of hostile environments. Robotic systems that draw inspiration from marine organisms, including invertebrates and fish, facilitate the investigation and documentation of underwater ecosystems by scientists while minimizing disruption to fragile marine life. In a similar vein, aerial robots that are designed to resemble insects or birds are capable of traversing difficult terrains, gathering data, and monitoring environmental parameters in remote and perilous areas; thus, they contribute to environmental research and monitoring. Moreover, the medical domain derives advantages from robotics inspired by nature by means of groundbreaking assistive apparatus and surgical robots. Through the replication of the agility and flexibility exhibited by animal or human appendages, robotic prostheses and exoskeletons assist people with mobility impairments in regaining autonomy and enhancing their standard of living. Surgical robots, which draw inspiration from the intricate motions of surgeons or delicate organisms, augment the precision and efficacy of surgical procedures, thereby resulting in enhanced patient outcomes.