MBZUAI ·
Researchers in Abu Dhabi developed H-SURF, a swarm of bio-inspired robotic fish for underwater data collection. Funded by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and conducted at Khalifa University, H-SURF uses swarm intelligence and optical communication to minimize disturbance to marine life. The project was recently recognized with the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Award for Environmental Research.
MBZUAI ·
MBZUAI's Ke Wu is developing bio-inspired robots, including a transmedia drone modeled after the diving beetle that can move in both air and water. The design will be presented at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2025) in Hangzhou, China. The research explores how principles from nature and evolution can inform robot design, control, and learning, integrating AI with embodied intelligence. Why it matters: This work contributes to the rapidly evolving field of soft robotics and offers new insights for developing more adaptive, biologically grounded intelligent systems in the region and globally.