Several systems and design innovations in engineering and technology that we have today are actually inspired by things we see in nature and we try to replicate them by artificial means so that we can examine how and why they work. Then those principles can be applied in real life situations.
I couldn't imagine that simply observing how certain aquatic and amphibious animals can jump out of water would inspire Sunghwan Jung and a team of researchers to conduct an experiment that would imitate these entry and exit movements which could then be used for air-water interfaces and even surveillance near water basins.
Check out their video of the animal-inspired robot jumping out of water here. via Popular Mechanics
(Image credit: Sunghwan Jung)