RoboBees
A hybrid microdrone that can fly, dive into water, swim, propel itself back out of the water, and safely land. Inspired by the biology of a fly, with submillimeter-scale anatomy and two wafer-thin wings that flap at 120 times per second, robotic insects, or RoboBees, achieve vertical takeoff, hovering, and steering. The tiny robots flap their wings using piezoelectric actuators — strips of ceramic that expand and contract when an electric field is applied. Thin hinges of plastic embedded within a carbon fiber body frame serve as joints, and a delicately balanced control system commands the rotational motions in the flapping-wing robot, with each wing controlled independently in real-time.
Harvard
Specifications
| Weight | 175 | milligram |
| Flapping speed | 220 to 300 | Hz (in the air) |
| 9 to 13 | Hz (in water) |
Overview
Inspired by the biology of a fly, with submillimeter-scale anatomy and two wafer-thin wings that flap at 120 times per second, robotic insects, or RoboBees, achieve vertical takeoff, hovering, and steering.
The tiny robots flap their wings using piezoelectric actuators — strips of ceramic that expand and contract when an electric field is applied. Thin hinges of plastic embedded within a carbon fiber body frame serve as joints, and a delicately balanced control system commands the rotational motions in the flapping-wing robot, with each wing controlled independently in real-time.
Applications of RoboBees could include distributed environmental monitoring, search-and-rescue operations, and assistance with crop pollination.
The RoboBee is retrofitted with four buoyant and a central gas collection chambers. Once the RoboBee swims to the surface, an electrolytic plate in the chamber converts water into oxyhydrogen, a combustible gas fuel.
References
Article describing the background of the project, the mechanical design, and the brain and navigation.
This paper recounts experiences designing the chip for the robot. Highlights the major challenges faced when designing for such a unique form factor, how designs and specifications were set by each collaborating lab, the difficulties of integrating a plethora of IP consisting of in-house digital and
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Research grant supports study of air flow with complex geometry planes
Multicopter(the best known example of them is quadcopter) drones and fixed-wing drones are two different type of drones that have similar but slightly different flight mechanics.In this article, I will speculate which one is better for carrying pizza or any other low density high volume payloads.
Researchers have developed small drones that can land and then move objects that are 40 times their weight, with the help of powerful winches, gecko adhesives and microspines.
Wevolver 2023