Rare flying squirrel species inspires robotics: Safely navigating treetops thanks to a scaly tail
Dübendorf, 02.07.2025 — African scaly-tailed squirrels use their scaled tails to safely move across the smooth bark of trees in their native rainforest habitats. Researchers from Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have for the first time investigated the physics of these thorn-covered scales located on the underside of the squirrel tails through mathematical and physical models. Their findings could eventually enable agile and energy-efficient bionic robots and drones.
