Biomimetic and Neuro-robotics

Biomimetic robotics research combines our curiosity of how biological systems work with our desire to solve hard engineering problems.

Research Lead: Dr Martin Pearson

Contact the team here
Through the development of embodied physical models of biological sensori-motor systems, that can be embedded into physical environments, we can test current hypotheses of biological functionality and evaluate possible directions for technical exploitation. Similarly, neuro-robotics refers to biomimetic robotic systems developed for revealing or exploiting the computational principals of neural systems.
Research Projects
  • Bella

    Bio-inspired control of electro-active polymers for next generation soft robots (2012-2015)


    To develop an adaptive control algorithm based on proposed functionality of cerebellum applied to next generation, EAP based, soft-bodied robotics.


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  • De-Mine

    Tactile sensing applied to underwater autonomous vehicles for near shore survey and de-mining (2012-2016)


    To investigate the use of biomimetic whisker sensors for underwater mine counter measures.


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  • BIOmimetic Technology for vibrissal ACtive Touch

    New technologies inspired by the whisker morphology and neural processing systems of the Norwegian rat and the Etruscan shrew.


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  • ICEA: SCRATCHbot

    Artificial touch technologies for robots that also help us understand how the brain controls the movement of the sensory systems.


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  • Whiskerbot

    An artificial whisker system which could provide a novel form of robot tactile sensor.


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Meet the Biomimetic and Neuro-robotics Team

Martin Pearson
Charlie Sullivan