Life-saving robotics inspired by evolution - On CNN's 'Tech for Good'

HONG KONG, Nov. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In the latest episode of 'Tech for Good', CNN anchor and correspondent, Kristie Lu Stout, meets students and professors around the world developing the next generation of life-changing robotics inspired by nature. 

In Korea, the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed robot controller technology called 'DreamWaQ' that enables blind locomotion. This AI system, trained using deep learning for navigating various types of simulated terrain, will potentially be able to aid in search and rescue missions, particularly in fire or disaster situations, to help locate people in dark or smoky environments. On a lighter note, the DreamWaQ technology was also notably installed in the Hound 2, the Guinness World Record holder for the fastest 100m sprint by a quadruped robot. Watch as Kristie Lu Stout challenges the KAIST Hound 2 on the racetrack! Finally, meet CAROS-H, a wall-climbing drone developed by KAIST researchers, inspired by six-legged insects and capable of both flight and walking.

Journeying to the Netherlands, scientists at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have drawn inspiration from various animals and insects at their Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) Lab. For instance, the MAVLab team has created microdrones that navigate based on 'odometry' — a technique employed by ants and other insects to track visual cues and number of steps, which uses significantly less processing power than other traditional navigational tools. Meanwhile, researchers at TU Delft's Biomorphic Intelligence Lab are developing biomorphic whisker sensors that will allow drones to navigate in the dark. The inspiration? One of the professor's pet rabbits!

Down under, insect/machine hybrid robots are being developed at the University of Queensland, Australia, where a team, inspired by the body structure of insects, is fusing miniature control backpacks onto living insects. By capitalizing on their natural mobility and adaptability, these tiny cyborgs could theoretically be deployed in small cavities and confined spaces, providing a low cost and low energy solution for search and rescue operations.

Looking ahead, the season finale of 'Tech for Good', set to air on November 30, 2024, will be taped live in front of a studio audience in London, England. Showcasing three projects previously featured on the series, 'Tech for Good' will follow up with these innovators pushing the boundaries of modern technology.

Tech for Good trailer: https://bit.ly/4esTc7o
Tech for Good images: https://bit.ly/3YVActv
Tech for Good microsite: https://cnn.it/3PB5DSq

Airtimes for 30-minute special:
Sunday, 17^th November at 5am, 1:30pm and 8pm HKT
Monday, 18^th November at 12pm HKT 

About CNN International 

CNN's portfolio of news and information services is available in seven different languages across all major TV, digital and mobile platforms, reaching more than 475 million households around the globe. CNN International is the number one international TV news channel according to all major media surveys across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia Pacific region, and Latin America and has a US presence that includes CNNgo. CNN Digital is a leading network for online news, mobile news and social media. CNN is at the forefront of digital innovation and continues to invest heavily in expanding its digital global footprint, with a suite of award-winning digital properties and a range of strategic content partnerships, commercialised through a strong data-driven understanding of audience behaviours. CNN has won multiple prestigious awards around the world for its journalism. Around 1,000 hours of long-form series, documentaries and specials are produced every year by CNNI's non-news programming division. CNN has 36 editorial offices and more than 1,100 affiliates worldwide through CNN Newsource. CNN International is a Warner Bros. Discovery company.