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This upper level undergraduate and graduate class will discuss recent advances in the mechanics of animal and bio-inspired robot locomotion in complex environments. All of the topics covered are from cutting edge research over the last 20 years, with many still being active research areas. General principles and integration of knowledge from engineering, biology, and physics will be emphasized. Sample topics include: How do geckos adhere to and climb over almost any surfaces? How do all kinds of animals use tails in novel ways to quickly maneuver in the air and on the ground? How do sandfish lizards burrow into and swim under sand? How do sidewinder snakes crawl up steep sand dunes without triggering an avalanche? How do large ants colonies dig and live in narrow tunnels without trapping themselves in traffic jams? Why do legged and snake robots struggle on sand and rubble, whereas insects, lizards, and snakes traverse similar terrain at ease? Why do insects rotate their wings while flapping to fly? How do soft-bodied worms move and how can we make better soft robots? How do cockroaches survive after squeezing through gaps with pressure several hundreds of their body weight? How do water striders walk on water and why can’t we do it? All these fundamental studies of interesting biological locomotion phenomena have led to bio-inspired robots that use the same physics principles to move in complex environments, with performance approaching that of animals. Students from ME, Robotics, and other programs are all welcome. Freshmen and sophomores with sufficient physics background may take with instructor approval. Students should have a strong understanding of Newtonian mechanics. Recommended background: B or higher in EN.530.202 Dynamics or EN.560.202 Dynamics. Closely-related courses: EN.530.468/668 Locomotion Mechanics: Fundamentals EN.530.676 Locomotion Dynamics and Control Visit https://li.me.jhu.edu/teaching for more information.