Why we need more degrees of freedom (INVITED)

Abstract eng:
The mechanical systems encountered in biology have many degrees of freedom (DOF). Even the relatively rigid arthropods and crustaceans have at least 5 DOF in each limb; tentacles and human hands have many more. Here we present a theoretical argument why multiuse mechanical systems in the natural world have many DOF. Under the assumption that they are power and force limited, and must furthermore resist environmental disturbances to their state, we derive a limit on the rate of the mechanical system to express multiple distinct states needed for different uses. As a consequence, higher DOF systems would intrinsically out-compete lower DOF systems.

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