Discussion on:

Lizard motion influencing design of search and rescue robots

I feel that nature is the best way to go when it comes to robotic deign. All the basics have already been figured out by mother nature. We only need pick and choose what features are required for our applications rather than staring from scratch. Even when it comes to the intelligence of the robot, copying the grouping of responsive reflexes for specific stimuli can enable robots to perform well in natural situations. just as simple creatures like insects do. More elaborate responses are quite possible today with very elaborate soft ware running at very high speeds. Balance acrobatics and even self defense as well as aggressive responses are quite possible for a robot with a learning program. Just as we slowly learn sets of appropriate responses and then place them into auto mode in our brains a robot could do the same and then do things we do even better than we can as it is not hindered by a biological response system reliant upon electrochemical activation of muscles. Purely electrical responses are many times faster than electrochemical ones.