Bio-Inspired Sensors in Embedded Robotics: Design Principles, Architectures, and Application Perspectives

Abstract

Bio-inspired sensors have emerged as a transformative component in embedded robotic systems by replicating the sensing mechanisms found in biological organisms. Unlike conventional sensors that operate on rigid mathematical or physical abstractions, bio-inspired sensors emulate the adaptability, efficiency, redundancy, and robustness of natural sensory systems such as vision, hearing, touch, olfaction, and proprioception. Embedded robotics, which integrates computation, sensing, and actuation within constrained hardware platforms, particularly benefits from such biologically inspired sensing paradigms. This paper presents a comprehensive exploration of bio-inspired sensors in embedded robotics, covering biological inspiration sources, sensor architectures, signal processing strategies, hardware-software co-design considerations, and system-level integration. Various categories of bio-inspired sensors—including vision-based, tactile, auditory, chemical, and inertial sensors—are discussed with emphasis on their relevance to embedded robotic platforms. The paper also analyzes design challenges, energy efficiency considerations, real-time constraints, and reliability issues. Applications ranging from autonomous navigation and human-robot interaction to industrial automation and medical robotics are examined. Finally, future research directions and emerging trends are highlighted, underscoring the growing role of bio-inspired sensing in intelligent embedded robotic systems.

KEYWORDS: - Bio-inspired sensors, Embedded robotics, Neuromorphic sensing, Tactile sensors, Robotic perception, Sensor fusion