Robotics are a huge technological advantage to humans for a vast array of reasons. They can reach places that humans may never see, such as far into outer space or far below the sea. They can be used to replace humans in dangerous situations and environments, such as defusing bombs, mines, exploring shipwrecks hundreds of meters below the sea (Shrotriya & Pandey 2013). They can assist humans in daily life, such as serving as prosthetic limbs or electric wheelchairs for the unable, or aiding in manufacturing processes at speeds and accuracies that are far beyond human capabilities. For good, they can be used as tools for educational purposes or for destruction by replacing humans in combat (Hagerman 2010).
However, the technology of robotics still has far to go, and there are still many flaws in the engineering and machinery. One of the biggest problems yet to be overcome is robotic locomotion. Originally, most robots were propelled by wheels, however this is not the most effective form of locomotion as there are many types of terrain that are not suitable for wheeled robots to access (Raibert & Hodgins 1993, Beer et al 1998). Therefore the next logical step is walking. Although this is simple and easy for humans and animals with flexible tendons and joints, it is more difficult for stiff jointed metal robots. There are several issues associated with walking in robots. Firstly, if the legs of the robot are not synchronized amongst themselves and also each other, then it will fall. Secondly, uneven ground proves a considerable challenge. If the robot’s leg encounters ground that is at a different level to the ground it’s other legs are on, for example a rock, it will continue to walk as it normally would unaware of this circumstance. This will cause the other legs to not be touching the ground and result in trouble with the next step or a fall to the ground. This means that if robots are to walk, they require some very clever engineering. As humans have often already discovered, the answer to many of humanity’s questions lies in nature.