Robot Arm Inspired by Armor Plates on a Seahorse's Flexible Tail (Video)

Seahorses and robots have something in common--at least where engineers at the University of California are concerned. They're hoping that the sea creature's long, flexible tail will allow them to design a similar robotic arm equipped with muscles made out of polymer.

A seahorse's tail is composed of a series of bony, armored plates which slide past each other. In fact, it can actually be compressed to about half of its size before permanent damage occurs. Because of this, researchers thought the structure would be perfect to use in a robotic arm that could be used in underwater exploration and unmanned bomb detection and detonation.

"The study of natural materials can lead to the creation of new and unique materials and structures inspired by nature that are stronger, tougher, lighter and more flexible," said Joanna McKittrick, one of the researchers working on the project, in a news release.

This isn't the only animal that the researchers looked at when designing their robotic arm, though. The engineers also examined the armor found in armadillos, alligators and the scales of various fish. While these animals all had "armor," though, they didn't have the flexibility that the arm needed. That's when they turned to the seahorse.

"The tail is the seahorse's lifeline because it allows the animal to anchor itself to corals or seaweed and hide from predators," said Michael Porter, a Ph.D. student in materials science at the Jacobs School of Engineering, in a news release. "But no one has looked at the seahorse's tail and bones as a source of armor."

Since most of a seahorse's predators capture the animals by crushing them, the researchers wanted to see how effective these plates in the creature's tail actually were. They took segments from seahorses' tails and compressed them from different angles. It turned out that the tail could be crushed by nearly 50 percent of its original width before damage occurred.

After studying the tail, the researchers found that it would be perfect for their current robotic arm project. The next step, though, requires the use of 3D printing. The engineers plant to create artificial bony plates, which would then be equipped with polymers that would act as muscles. The eventual result would be a flexible, yet robust robotic arm that could be used for medical devices and a variety of other applications.

The details of this new study are published in the journal Acta Biomaterialia.

Want to find out more about the study? Check out the video below, courtesy of UCSD Jacobs School of Engineering.