In a groundbreaking approach to environmental sensing, researchers Suyi Li from Virginia Tech and Ian Walker from Clemson University are developing robots inspired by plant behavior. Supported by a four-year, $840,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, their work aims to deploy sensors in challenging, often inaccessible environments.
Li, an associate professor in mechanical engineering, and Walker, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, are exploring the idea of creating devices that mimic native plants. Li expressed his initial surprise in robotics: “When I started to venture into robotics a few years ago, I was surprised to see that almost all robots are inspired by humans and animals to some degree. However, I believe the vast plant kingdom can offer us many unique lessons on approaching the design, actuation, and operation of robots. This is how Ian and I started working on this topic together.”
The researchers’ goal is to create robotics capable of surviving in wild conditions for long periods. They plan to utilize principles from the plant kingdom, such as the ability of sunflowers to move with the sun or the opening and closing mechanisms of floral organs like those in a venus flytrap.
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