ACS6121 - Unit 06 (Biological Inspired Robotics)

Question 1

What are the three main types of biologically inspired robot morphologies?

Answer 1

Terrestrial, Aquatic, Aerial

Question 2

What sensing mechanism is inspired by echolocation?

Answer 2

Auditory sensing using bio-sonar, e.g., in bats and dolphins.

Question 3

Why is touch sensing hard to replicate in robots?

Answer 3

It requires complex mechanical design and neural processing to mimic active tactile exploration.

Question 4

What is tip-growth, and what inspires it?

Answer 4

Movement by elongating at the tip, inspired by plant roots.

Question 5

What are the four pillars of biological evolution?

Answer 5

Population, Diversity, Heredity, Selection

Question 6

What is tournament selection in evolutionary algorithms?

Answer 6

Randomly pick 𝑘 individuals, select the best, and copy it into the next generation.

Question 7

What are lattice-type modular robots?

Answer 7

Robots that reconfigure by moving on a fixed grid (e.g., A-TRON).

Question 8

Name one robotic system using flapping wings.

Answer 8

RoboBee (Harvard)

Question 9

What type of connection mechanism is used in Pebbles from MIT?

Answer 9

Electropermanent magnets

Question 10

What is the purpose of using crossover and mutation in evolutionary robotics?

Answer 10

To explore the search space by recombining and varying genes to find better solutions.

Question 11

1. Multiple Choice:
   Which sensing method is inspired by insect compound eyes?
   A) Echolocation
   B) Touch
   C) Optical flow
   D) Vision

Answer 11

→ Correct Answer: D) Vision

Question 12

2. True/False:
   Tip-growing robots move by sliding over surfaces.

Answer 12

→ False

Question 13

3. Fill in the Blank:
   The robot fish from MIT is an example of _______ robotics.

Answer 13

→ Soft

Question 14

4. Short Answer:
   What is the benefit of maximum-clearance flight in biologically inspired aerial robots?

Answer 14

→ Increased agility, sharp turning, and better obstacle avoidance (inspired by insect flight).

Question 15

5. Multiple Choice:
   Which evolutionary strategy involves combining genetic material from two parents?
   A) Mutation
   B) Tournament selection
   C) Crossover
   D) Filtering

Answer 15

→ Correct Answer: C) Crossover