Episode 166: Evolving robot bodies and brains - Rika Antonova

What this episode covers

Rika Antonova, an Associate Professor at the University of Cambridge, explains co-evolution in robotics, where hardware and software algorithms evolve simultaneously to optimize performance. She details the use of rapid prototyping and simulation to iterate through millions of designs, highlighting the 'codesign gym' framework and collaborations with Morpher AI and Carnegie Mellon University. Antonova discusses how this approach unlocks new dexterity capabilities, such as custom silicon fingertips for delicate medical handling, funded by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency's Robot Dexterity programme.