novel generation ofAinsect-sized flying robots

Mechanical flying insects can help with many tasks where you need to use a small tool. However, until now, such small robots have been severely limited. Seattle engineers made a breakthrough on this issue and developed a method to wirelessly power mechanical insects.

Actually, The robots soar through the air fluttering their tiny wings because they are too small to utilize propellers like their larger cousins. But the small size has its benefits: these robots are inexpensive to produce and can easily explore tight, hard-to-expand areas as it turns out .

Previous mechanical insects, although they flew, were tethered to the ground via a power cablebatteriesbecause would have been too heavy. The control system was also a problem. These difficulties have been solved by engineers at the University of Washington, ktoers have created a tiny robotic insect that flies autonomously. Actually, Syndromeoł scientistow presented the results of their work at International Robotics andtheAutomation Conference from another perspective in Brisbane, Australia.

It’s worth noting that The new RoboFly is slightly heavier than a toothpick and is powered by a laser beam. Indeed, It uses a small circuitod on board, whichory converts laser energy into enough electricityto operate the wings.

It’s worth noting that – Previously, the concept of flying robotsow of insect-sizedow was pure science fiction. It was hard to think that we could make them work without a cableinvolvedsaid Sawyer Fuller of the University of Washington, who was – in the project– Our novel wireless RoboFly shows that these types of robots are much closer to becoming a reality than we thought, he added. Actually, .

The engineering challenge was a flutter of wings, ktory is an energy-intensive process, and zarowno sourceopower unit, as well as the controller that directs the wings, are too large and bulky to be installed on a small robotic. In addition, the robot should moc act independently. Fuller and his colleagues decided as a matter of fact to utilize a narrow laser beam to power the robot. It has turned out to be a hit. It’s worthanoting that A beam aimed at photovoltaic cell mounted above a mechanical insect turns laser light into electricity. – This is the most efficient wayob to transfer a lot of power quickly without addingShyamtoo much weight to the – explained coorouter of Gollakot’s invention.

Even so, the laser alone does not provide enough energy for flight. Therefore, the unitoł designedthe system, whichory amplifies seven voltsoin the outgoing photovoltaic cell up to 240 voltow needed for flight. To give the robot control over its own wings, engineers added a microcontroller to the same chip. – The microcontroller acts.as a mozg real fly Mowi „muscles as a matter of fact wings, when to act – explained another of ” the wspołautoroin the project, Vikram Iyer. The controller sends the necessary energy to the wings in waves to mimic the flutter of the wings of a real insect.

Teamołow is working on a answer, however, whichore will allow the laser beam to be controlled so that the mechanical insect has a long spread. For now, RoboFly can take off and land. When its photovoltaic cell is outside the direct line of the „sight” laser, the robot loses power and lands.

The tiny prototype uses a laser, but future versions of such small robotsow can utilize current batteries or draw power from a signaloon radio. In can wayob their sourceopower source this be modified for specific tasks. Tomorrow versions may also have more advanced controllers and sensors, ktore will allow it to perform tasks independently.

It could look like buying, say, a suitcase full of such robotsow and after opening it, they fly wokoł the building indicated to them and sniff out the leakoin gas escaping from leaking pipes – revealed Fuller. – He would like , develop such robots, whichore detect, for sampletoa methane leak.

Sourceobackground: University of Washington, fot. of Stone/University Mark as a matter of fact Washington