Towards a novel embodied robot bio-inspired by non-human primates

Abstract

The authors propose an international cooperative project aimed at studying and reproducing the control principles that underlie the climbing abilities of monkeys. The final embodied robot that will be developed by the consortium will be bio-inspired by the anatomy and physiology of the cercopithecoid monkeys. Non-invasive experiments on living primates will drive the development of novel biological models, and dynamic balance-climbing control theories. Embodied climbing robots will be developed to implement arm swinging brachiation, vertical climbing, tail suspension, and horizontal locomotion. This interdisciplinary project brings together scientists, veterinarians and biologists, engineers and mathematicians from universities and industry.