Bio-Inspired Technologies

EPFL’s School of Engineering is leading the charge in bio-inspired technologies, fostering innovations that draw inspiration from nature to solve complex engineering challenges. Our interdisciplinary teams are dedicated to designing and developing technologies that mimic biological systems to enhance performance and sustainability.

Learn more about Bio-inspired technologies

Bio-inspired technologies research at EPFL’s School of Engineering focuses on developing innovative materials, structures, and processes that emulate natural systems, driving advancements in engineering and sustainability.

Our experts

Our researchers excel in the development of bio-inspired materials, structures, and processes. Their work spans diverse applications, from robotics and materials science to energy systems and healthcare, leveraging nature’s principles to create efficient and adaptive solutions.

Our laboratories

Our cutting-edge laboratories are equipped to conduct groundbreaking research in bio-inspired technologies. These facilities support the synthesis and characterization of bio-inspired materials, the development of adaptive systems, and the application of these technologies in real-world scenarios.

Our spinoffs

Explore the forefront of innovation through our dynamic startups focused on bio-inspired technologies. These ventures, nurtured within EPFL’s ecosystem, are pioneering applications ranging from sustainable materials to advanced robotics.

Centers

We collaborate with leading research centers at EPFL to push the boundaries of bio-inspired technology. These partnerships facilitate interdisciplinary research and accelerate the translation of innovative concepts into practical applications.ted to propelling sustainable solutions forward. These collaborative hubs stand at the vanguard of research, catalyzing innovations in renewable energy, smart grids, and beyond.

Education

Discover unparalleled opportunities for education, research, and hands-on experience in bio-inspired technologies at the School of Engineering. Join the next generation of innovators and contribute to a future where nature-inspired solutions drive technological advancements and sustainability.

NEWS

Keep up with the latest breakthroughs and innovations in bio-inspired technologies from EPFL’s School of Engineering. Our researchers are pioneering nature-inspired solutions that span robotics, materials science, energy systems, and healthcare. Visit our news section for insights into the cutting-edge research shaping the future of bio-inspired engineering.

Demonstration of the robotic gripper made from langoustine tails. 2025 CREATE Lab EPFL CC BY SA

Bio-hybrid robots turn food waste into functional machines

— EPFL scientists have integrated discarded crustacean shells into robotic devices, leveraging the strength and flexibility of natural materials for robotic applications.

The larval zebrafish robot, Zbot. 2025 BioRob EPFL CC BY SA 4.0

Roboticists reverse engineer zebrafish navigation

— Using simulations, robots, and live fish, scientists at EPFL and Duke University have replicated the neural circuitry that allows zebrafish to react to visual stimuli and maintain their position in flowing water. They provide a complete picture of how brain circuits, body mechanics, and the environment work together to control behavior.

The BioRob Lab's amphibious eel-like robot. 2025 BIOROB EPFL CC BY SA

Robots offer clues to the impressive robustness of eel locomotion

— A neural circuit model tested in amphibious robots developed at EPFL shows how multisensory feedback enables eels to swim even after a spinal cord injury, while also providing new insights into the evolutionary transition of vertebrates from water to land.

EPFL Alain Herzog CC BY SA

Eight PhD students receive STI Teaching Assistant Awards

— Eight engineering PhD students have been selected to receive a School of Engineering (STI) Teaching Assistant Award for their outstanding commitment to education in EPFL bachelor and master courses during the spring 2025 semester.

The EleBot. 2025 CREATE EPFL CC BY SA 4.0

Elephant robot demonstrates bioinspired 3D printing technology

— EPFL researchers have pioneered a 3D-printable, programmable lattice structure for robotics that mimics the vast diversity of biological tissues – from a flexible trunk to rigid bone – using a single foam material.

All news

VIDEOS

Watch our videos to gain insights from EPFL’s leading researchers in bio-inspired technologies. Learn about the latest advancements in nature-inspired materials, adaptive systems, and other groundbreaking applications. Join us as we explore the science and technology behind bio-inspired innovations and see how our work is transforming the future.

Unleashing the bio-inspired robot dog

Trotting robots reveal emergence of animal gait transitions

A robot recreates the walk of a 300-million-year-old fossilized animal

Swimming robot gives fresh insight into locomotion and neuroscience

A robot that runs like a cat

A new robot mimics vertebrate motion

Demonstrating our work done in AQUA lab!

An insect-inspired drone deforms upon impact

Raptor-inspired drone with morphing wing and tail

Meet Our Experts: Francesco Stellacci

V0048: To swim fast or go far? Answers from 1-guilla, the robotic eel

V0070 – Reconfiguring it out: how flexible structures interact with fluid flows