Harvard creates a bio-inspired robot that packs a punch
When most people think of shrimp, they think of yummy seafood and very small creatures. You might not expect a small shrimp to pack a very powerful punch. However, the mantis shrimp has the strongest punch of any animal on the planet. Acceleration is key to its incredibly strong punch, with the mantis shrimp able to accelerate its appendages faster than a bullet exits a gun. A single punch can knock the arms off a crab or crack a shell. Scientists have been researching how the mantis shrimp can generate such a powerful punch. Researchers from Harvard have leveraged high-speed cameras to learn more about the mechanics of the powerful punch. The research could pave the way for small robots that also have lots of power.
