Harsh field tests shape robotic design in unexpected ways

Auke Ijspeert and his team in the BioRobotics Lab (BioRob) in EPFL's School of Engineering had operated their bio-informed robots in natural environments before, but this was more for demonstration purposes than for scientific rigor. Tests of robotic function were usually carried out in the lab, for example, using X-ray videos to compare robotic movements with the animals that inspired their design.