Bio-inspired robotic locomotion is a fairly
new subcategory of bio-inspired design. It is about learning concepts from
nature and applying them to the design of real-world engineered systems. More
specifically, this field is about making robots that are inspired by biological
systems. Biomimicry and bio-inspired design are sometimes confused. Biomimicry is
copying the nature while bio-inspired design is learning from nature and making
a mechanism that is simpler and more effective than the system observed in
nature. Biomimicry has led to the development of a different branch of robotics
called soft robotics.
In the present book, fifteen typical
literatures about biomimetic robotics published on international authoritative
journals were selected to introduce the worldwide newest progress, which
contains reviews or original researches on biomimetics, bio-inspired
technologies, soft robotics, control methods and materials, biolocomotion, etc.
We hope this book can demonstrate advances in biomimetic robotics as well as
give references to the researchers, students and other related people.