Most people think that robots have to have some sort of functionality or ability to make it cool. However, in a splendid imitation of biological systems, people have designed, built, and programmed some interesting robot plants, that look good and act natural.
A while back, MAKE, a technology magazine, held a contest to build robotic plants. The entries were amazing, but a few of them stood out more than the rest.
In first place came a robotic imitation of a Venus Fly Trap. Acting just like the living carnivorous plant, the robot snaps shut viciously when stimulated by an object landing on its sensitive leaf surface.
Other outstanding entries included a flowering plant that bloomed and closed when given enough solar energy and not enough solar energy, respectively. It seems to be a simple system, but its similarities to real flowers is a sight to behold.
These robots are all stunning replicas of their biological counterparts, and they could be a precursor to a biological robotic world.
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