Robotics as Inspired by Paleo-Robotics Presents New Angle on Evolution

Science has since looked into the possibility of robotic ancestors, building small robotic models of instantaneous prehistoric animals to study change of motions and structure and transition between water and land.

Paleo-robotics entails constructing robots based on prehistoric animals for a purpose of creating evolution knowledge. Constructing a robotic T-rex helps in the analysis of moving, motion velocities, energy expenditure and changes in posture. A lot of researchers say that not only is genetic research fun but it is also helpful in the study of evolution.

Dr. Michael Ishida, from the University of Cambridge, demystifies some of the engineering displacements to conceptualize million years evolution into robot. His team’s research entails analyzing mobile self-organizing-mud fish formation to show different evolutionary changes in a field using robotics.

Writers in the journal state that modern approach of constructing robotent structures that represent ancient animals is crucial. Thus, they want to create whole bodies for improved mechanics since dissecting one part may not indicate how four-legged animals walk.

This paleo-inspired robotics does however have their drawbacks, as compared with the more traditional type of computer simulation where any given motion is analyzed on the screen. The purpose of developing these is to understand the processes of conversion of vertebrates from water to land, emergence of avian locomotion and transition from the four-legged to the two-legged forms of movement.

In a complementary manner, Prof. Steve Brusatte of Edinburgh University, who did not take part in the report, stated that the range of possibilities of this work is enormous. “These robots can help us test hypotheses about the history of life,” he said excitedly opening a new chapter in the exploration of evolution.