Body and Machine This session focuses on the role of mechanics and the physical embodiment of sensory and motor structures in the study of systems neuroscience. The panel’s research integrates techniques from engineering and neuroscience to investigate sensorimotor function and to construct more sensate and dexterous robots and biomimetic devices. Talks will illuminate reciprocal relationships between mechanics, robotics, and sensory neuroscience using model systems that range from crickets, golden moles, and rats to humans and humanoid robots. An example is the use of biomimetic micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) technologies to investigate how insect hairs are tuned to measure fluid flow within relevant ecological contexts. Other topics include the bizarre inner-ear bones of the golden mole that exhibit unique mechanical specializations to permit the animal to sense both minute substrate vibrations and airborne sound, and the use of robotic models and dynamic simulations to quantify tactile processing in the rat whisker system. Using both psychophysical and robotic studies, the session also explores the remarkable integration of visual and tactile sensory inputs that enables manipulation and grasping with the hand. These interdisciplinary approaches give equal emphasis to intricate biomechanical mechanisms, ecological contexts, and technological implementation, enabling teams to build new devices and advance our understanding of nature.