Sea horses can easily manipulate objects with their squared tail which is built for protection and grasping. Many scientists are in the process of using this information to build robots who are energy efficient like the sea horses.
Animals are known to use their tails to provide locomotion, especially if they are underwater. The species of sea horses are also known to feature prehensile tails which are adapted to enable them to grasp onto things easily, according to The Echo Examiner.
This also enables the creatures to resist the clutch of their predators. Inspired by this feature, scientists are trying to build a robot which is flexible and highly durable like a seas horse, according to IFL Science. These robots can be potentially used to perform surgeries, go for search and rescue missions, and also used for military technologies.
The leader of this study from Oregon State University, Dr. Ross Hatton said that the difference between the make of nature and man is the degree of stiffness and the ability to being controlled.
The conventional robot is stiff and easily controlled, making it restricted for use. If scientists are able to copy the make of the nature and incorporate flexibility in the robots, they will be able perform a whole lot of tasks which seem impossible till now. This makes the animals to inspire the next generation of animals.
The tail of a sea horse which is known to see millions of years of evolution no longer supports the animal's ability to swim. As a compensation, it now provides them a strong and energy efficient mechanism which helps them to cling to coral reefs and food. The idea of this tail can be used in the industrial system and used to make search and rescue robots.