tags: robofly, microrobotic fly, engineering, biobot, nanotechnology, streaming video
Robotics researchers have long been envious of flying insects, many of which are able to perform all sorts of spectacular acrobatics despite their small wings and smaller brains. Researchers at Harvard University created a robotic fly the size of a penny that is actually able to fly using a wing structure and motions based on a fly. The robofly weighs 60 milligrams (the equivalent of a few grains of rice), and beats its 1.5cm wings 120 (!) times per second. Most impressively, the actuating composite motor that powers the wings is 5 times more powerful for its weight than the muscles of a real fly. [2:53]
- Log in to post comments
More like this
In October 2004 Australian and Indonesian announced they had discovered a three-foot tall species of hominid, Homo floresiensis, that was still alive no earlier than18,000 years ago. As Ive detailed in previous posts, this claim has inspired a lot of debate, much which revolves around whether the…
Many animals use impressive displays to seduce a mate, but few go as far as the male Anna's hummingbird. He performs a death-defying courtship dive, plummeting to the ground at speeds and accelerations that put jet fighters to shame.
The tiny 7cm bird reaches a top speed of 60mph and at the…
One of the coolest dinosaurs you learn about as a kid are Pterodactyls (really Pterosaurs, but who's checking). As giant flying lizards, these guys are thought to have dominated the skies long before birds existed (from the late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous, 220-65 million years ago). The…
Harvard professor Robert Wood unveiled his newest creation recently, a robotic fly that can be used as a spy, according to this posting on engadget.com. The fly weighs only .002 ounces and has a wingspan of 1.18 inches. Due to light weight carbon joints, the fly's wings beat 110 times per minute…
Now it just needs camera eyes and we can have a "fly on the wall" bugging system.
Amazing! I think a lot of the R and D that went into this is going to find it's way into a lot of other future developments!
Dave Briggs :~)
This type of microrobotic technology might have applications in artificial limbs. Its one-third of the technology needed to make replacement limbs as capable as the real thing, alongside a better interface and a denser energy store.
If they compress the software that controls this robot will that be zipping the fly?