Biomimetic Robots

Whether they walk as humanoids, chase like dogs, or slither like snakes, biomimetic robots are here to stay.
June 8, 2026
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Key Highlights

Biomimetic robots steal from millions of years of design optimization by Nature to perform tasks by machines. The broad categories under which this TechXchange is organized are as follows:

 

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Biomimetic robots (BRs) come in many forms, emulating their natural counterpart to enable advantages or operations that mounted arms and frame-based machines can't do as well. BRs come in many forms, with humanoid and dog emulations being most prevalent. Reserchers also are using behaviors of snakes, birds, and other mammals as mimicry targets, exploring the applications where they might excel in such applications as domestic, industial, automotive, environmental, and space.

Humanoid

This TechXchange is a top level collection of Biomimetics TechXchanges that delve deeper into the implementation and operation as well as hardware, software, and application areas like domestic, industial, automotive, environmental, and space that address Biomimetic robotics and its applications. The articles, podcasts, and videos in the TechXchanges linked below have been selected by our editors. New articles are added when they become available.

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For the first time outside of Japan, ASIMO will demonstrate its latest advancements and even more fluid and quick movements — including the ability to run at nearly 4 mph.
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DARPA recently held its Virtual Robotic Challenge, where competing teams applied their own software to a simulated robot in an attempt to spur development of advanced robots that...
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In a stroke of good timing with our cover focus on smart motion, I visited the Robots and Vision show in Chicago last month. While the exhibit floor was filled with excellent ...
Both universities will focus on developing new software programs for the Valkyrie robots with an eye on making them more autonomous and resilient when carrying out tasks during space missions Image courtesy of NASA
NASA is sending two prototypes of its humanoid Valkyrie robot to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Northeastern University “for active research of high-level humanoid...
Entering a New Robotics Age with Machine Learning
From the flood of sensors being incorporated into robots to the rise of neural-net inference, robotics technology is experiencing a seismic shift in performance.
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The Korean-built DRC-Hubo robot won first place at the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals, a competition that was intended to accelerate the evolution and applications of humanoid...
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This webinar explores the power management innovations enabling humanoid robots, from motion control to energy efficiency and system integration.
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Boston Dynamics makes some impressive robots—ranging from SandFlea, which can jump 30 feet in the air, to LS3 (Legged Squad Support System), which can carry a 400-lb load for ...
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Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot is capable of navigating a parkour course.

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Dog/Cat

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The SpotMini developed by Boston Dynamics is a four-legged, all-electric robot that can go up to 90 minutes on a single charge.
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DARPA’s Cheetah robot has broken its own land speed record of 18 miles per hour.
Andy Turudic and Gemini (AI)
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Data centers have become a virtual Fort Knox, containing DRAM and hard-disk storage that’s sold out for the next three years, requiring AI-based robots to guard the highly coveted...

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Insect

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By Kara Manke, UC Berkeley Topping out at less than a foot, Salto the robot looks like a Star Wars imperial walker in miniature. But don’t be fooled by its size — this little ...
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This biomimetic robot, powered by bacteria in water, can collect water temperature, pollution levels, biological and craft movement, and data as an element of the Ocean of Things...
Heiko Kabutz
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Most animals run fairly quickly and faster than most humans. But can a robot run faster than most living beings?
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By Kara MankelBERKELEY, CA—If the sight of a skittering bug makes you squirm, you may want to look away—a new insect-sized robot created by researchers at the University of California...

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About the Author

Andy Turudic
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Andy Turudic

Technology Editor, Electronic Design

Andy Turudic is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design Magazine, primarily covering Analog and Mixed-Signal circuits and devices and also is Editor of ED's bi-weekly Automotive Electronics newsletter.

He holds a Bachelor's in EE from the University of Windsor (Ontario Canada) and has been involved in electronics, semiconductors, and gearhead stuff, for a bit over a half century. Andy also enjoys teaching his engineerlings at Portland Community College as a part-time professor in their EET program.

"AndyT" brings his multidisciplinary engineering experience from companies that include National Semiconductor (now Texas Instruments), Altera (Intel), Agere, Zarlink, TriQuint,(now Qorvo), SW Bell (managing a research team at Bellcore, Bell Labs and Rockwell Science Center), Bell-Northern Research, and Northern Telecom.

After hours, when he's not working on the latest invention to add to his portfolio of 16 issued US patents, or on his DARPA Challenge drone entry, he's lending advice and experience to the electric vehicle conversion community from his mountain lair in the Pacific Northwet[sic].

AndyT's engineering blog, "Nonlinearities," publishes the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. Andy's OpEd may appear at other times, with fair warning given by the Vu meter pic. His cartoon series, "Inventors", appears each week in Electronic Design Weekly.

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