15 Apr 2017

A tree on a chip: powering robots of the future

From This Way Up, 12:50 pm on 15 April 2017
Pump based on tree's vascular system

Pump based on tree's vascular system Photo: (Supplied)

Bio-inspiration involves using natural systems to solve technical challenges.

Now scientists are getting inspiration from trees as they look to power the robots of the future.

Professor Peko Hosoi from MIT has made a 'tree on a chip' to help build better robots that can move around fuelled by sugar.