Lecture by Prof. Dr. Stanislav Gorb

Since time immemorial, living organisms have developed successful strategies to adapt to their environment – flying, swimming, climbing, feeding whilst avoiding being eaten. The so-called bionics, a portmanteau of biology and technology, denotes the systematic transfer of mechanisms and processes from nature to technology. Bionics is increasingly making inroads into robotics, enabling innovative solutions to technical problems. Professor Stanislav Gorb from Kiel University has been studying the adhesion mechanisms of geckos, spiders and beetles for years and is developing applicable technical solutions such as 'gecko tape'. The lecture demonstrates how compliant, nature-inspired mechanisms lead to the development of lightweight, energy-efficient and human-friendly robots.