Collaborative efforts by Carnegie Mellon researchers and paleontologists from Spain and Poland have resulted in a remarkable creation: a soft robotic model of the pleurocystitid, an archaic echinoderm species. This project aims to delve into the evolutionary biomechanics and stimulate new concepts in robot design. The image shows both a fossil of a pleurocystitid and its robotic counterpart, crafted by Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering.
A team from Carnegie Mellon University’s Mechanical Engineering Department, in collaboration with Spanish and Polish paleontologists, has reconstructed a robotic model of the Pleurocystitid using fossil evidence. This ancient marine organism, which dates back approximately 450 million years, is considered one of the earliest echinoderms capable of motion through its muscular stem.
Advancement in Animal Locomotion and Design
Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), this research introduces a novel field, Paleobionics. It focuses on employing Softbotics, which involves the use of flexible electronics and soft materials in robotics, to study the biomechanical aspects that influenced evolution in extinct species.
“Softbotics uses pliable materials for creating robot components that mimic natural movement. To fully comprehend the core principles of biology and evolution, we need to analyze the historical progression of animal locomotion. Our aim is to construct robotic models that replicate these evolutionary movements,” stated Carmel Majidi, the study’s leading author and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.
Learning from Ancient Life Forms
Considering that human existence constitutes just 0.007% of Earth’s history, our current understanding of evolution and the mechanical systems inspired by it are based on a limited range of animals compared to those that have existed over time.
The research team used fossil records as a blueprint and combined 3D printing with polymers to replicate the pleurocystitid’s flexible, column-like appendage. Their findings suggest that pleurocystitids likely moved along the sea floor propelled by a muscular stem.
Despite the lack of modern equivalents (as echinoderms have evolved into present-day forms like starfish and sea urchins), the pleurocystitids have intrigued paleontologists due to their crucial role in the evolution of echinoderms.
Nature-Inspired Robotic Innovation
The researchers inferred that broad, sweeping movements were probably the most efficient, and that elongating the stem significantly enhanced speed without requiring additional energy.
“Choosing which biological features to emulate is a critical task for those in bio-inspired robotics,” said Richard Desatnik, a PhD candidate and co-first author of the study.
“In determining effective movement strategies for our robots, we have to make strategic choices. For instance, does a starfish-inspired robot need to utilize all five limbs for movement, or can we devise a more efficient method?” added Zach Patterson, a Carnegie Mellon University alumnus and co-author.
Exploring New Frontiers
Having successfully employed Softbotics to recreate extinct creatures, the team is eager to extend their research to other ancient animals, like the first creatures that transitioned from sea to land, a phenomenon not easily studied with traditional robotics.
“The fascination lies not just in reviving an organism from nearly half a billion years ago, but in the profound insights this achievement provides,” said Phil LeDuc, a co-author and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. “Our collaboration with esteemed paleontologists enables us to go beyond examining fossils; it’s about deepening our understanding of life itself.”
The study, titled “Soft robotics informs how an early echinoderm moved” by Richard Desatnik, Zach J. Patterson, Przemysław Gorzelak, Samuel Zamora, Philip LeDuc, and Carmel Majidi, was published on November 6, 2023, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306580120
Funding for this study was provided by various institutions, including the National GEM Consortium, the National Science Foundation, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and several Spanish and Aragonese government agencies.
Additional contributions came from Przemyslaw Gorzelak of the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Paleobiology, and Samuel Zamora from The Geological and Mining Institute of Spain.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Softbotics Evolution Study
What is the aim of Carnegie Mellon’s Softbotics project?
The project aims to explore evolutionary biomechanics and inspire new designs in robotics by creating a soft robotic model of the pleurocystitid, an ancient echinoderm.
What is Paleobionics?
Paleobionics is a new field of study introduced by this research, focusing on using Softbotics to understand the biomechanical factors that influenced evolution in extinct organisms.
How does the pleurocystitid model contribute to understanding animal movement?
By recreating the pleurocystitid’s locomotion, researchers can gain insights into the evolutionary progression of animal movement, offering a broader perspective on animal design and biomechanics.
What unique approach does Softbotics bring to robotics?
Softbotics involves using flexible electronics and soft materials to construct robot limbs and appendages, which helps in mimicking the natural movement of ancient organisms.
What are the future goals of this research?
The team aims to extend their research to other ancient animals, particularly those that transitioned from sea to land, to further understand evolutionary processes and apply these insights in modern robotics.
More about Softbotics Evolution Study
- Carnegie Mellon University College of Engineering
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)
- National GEM Consortium
- National Science Foundation
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities
- Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences
- The Geological and Mining Institute of Spain
4 comments
wow this is some really cool stuff going on at Carnegie Mellon, i mean using old fossils to make robots? thats like something out of a sci-fi movie. kinda makes you wonder what else they can do with this tech
saw this article and couldn’t believe it, creating robots from ancient creatures is just mind blowing, but i gotta ask, how practical is this really? feels like its more about just seeing if they can do it rather than having any real world use
I’m not a big science person but this is actually pretty interesting. Softbotics sounds like it could change the way we think about robots and stuff. Props to the researchers for doing something so out of the box
love the idea of learning from the past to improve the future, and it’s amazing that they’re pushing boundaries in robotics with ancient echinoderms. also, kudos to the team for getting funding from so many big names, shows how much potential this research has!