《The secrets of nature’s grossest creatures, channeled Into robots》Part1/3

Source：

http://www.ted.com/talks/robert_full_the_secrets_of_nature_s_grossest_creatures_channeled_into_robots?language=en

Even nature's most disgusting creatures have important secrets, but who would want a swarmof cockroaches coming towards them?

Yet one of the greatest differences betweennatural and human technologies relates to robustness.Robust systems are stable in complex and new environments. Remarkably, cockroaches canself-stabilize running over rough terrain.Whenwe put a jet pack on them,or give them a perturbation like an earthquake,we discovered that their wonderfully tuned legs allow them to self-stabilize without using any of their brainpower.They can go over complex terrain like grass,no problem, and not get destabilized.We discovered a new behavior where,because of their shape,they actually roll automatically to their side to go through this artificial test bit of grass.

Robust systems can perform multiple tasks withthe same structure.Here's a new behavior we've discovered.The animals rapidly invert and disappear in less than150 milliseconds — you neversee them —using the same structures that they use to run, their legs. They can run upside downvery rapidly on rods,branches and wires,and if you perturb one of those branches,they can do this.They can perform gymnastic maneuvers like no robot we have yet.And they have nearly unlimited maneuver ability with that same structure and unprecedented access to a variety of different areas.They have wings for flying when they get warm,but they use those same wings to flip over if they get destabilized.Very effective.