Professor Richard Bomphrey, professor of comparative biomechanics at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) will lead a panel of experts at the United Nations’ (UN) next AI for Good event.
Taking place on Wednesday 27 September 2023 at 3pm (BST), the webinar titled “Biorobotics for emulating and studying animal locomotion” will explore how biorobotics, which draws on biological principals to design robots with sensorimotor skills of animals, can help further investigations into animal locomotion and adaptive behaviour.
The movements of animals are difficult to analyse and emulate because locomotion is the result of a complex interaction between several components, including the central and peripherical nervous systems, the musculoskeletal system and the environment.
Previous studies have therefore, been somewhat limited in their exploration. However, by using biorobotics, researchers can test hypotheses about the underlying interactions of body, control and the environment in a way that wasn’t previously possible.
Drawing on their collective and diverse experience, the panellists include Andrew Biewener, professor of biology and faculty director of the Concord Field Station at Harvard University; Auke Ijspeert, professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology; Robert Full, Medical Institute.
Professor of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Aimy Wissa, assistant professor at the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Princeton University, will discuss a range of topics including:
- The application of fundamental bioscience to developments in robotics and vice versa
- How biological insights from experiments and simulations of animal movement have been incorporated into designs, including those from insects and birds within aeronautical engineering
- How this approach can provide enhanced capabilities to autonomous vehicles, in terms of stability, robustness, safety, autonomy and efficiency
- How the intersection of these two fields can help us better understand evolution and the diversity we see in the world around us
- The positive impact biorobotics can have on animal welfare
Professor Richard Bomphrey said: “This event promises to be a thought-provoking discussion with some of the world’s leaders in bio-inspired robotics discussing the challenges and opportunities they see within the field.
“There are sure to be some intriguing examples that highlight how the state-of-the-art in modern robotics has resulted in greater impact by taking inspiration from nature, and also how biological investigations are acquiring a deeper understanding of the natural world by using novel robotic equipment.”
This event is organised as part of the Robotics for Good programming track, which includes a series of expert talks to explore the applications of intelligent autonomous systems to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
It is also the latest event for the action-oriented, global and inclusive platform on AI, which involves collaboration with 40 UN sister agencies.
