Bionic mechanical insects come true! Bee drone weighs less than 0.1 grams

Researchers have created a robot bee that can fly completely in all directions. Image source: Washington State University

Science and Technology Daily reporter Zhang Mengran

Researchers at Washington State University in the United States have developed a robot bee that can fly stably in all directions. The research results were published in the latest issue of "IEEE Transactions on Robotics".

This Bee prototype has four wings made of carbon fiber and Mylar, and four lightweight actuators that control the wings. It is the first prototype capable of stable flight in all directions. bee

Fully realizes the six degrees of freedom of movement displayed by typical flying insects.

For more than 30 years, researchers have been trying to develop artificial flying insects. They may be used in the future for artificial pollination, search and rescue in small spaces, biological research or monitoring of harsh environments. But simply getting tiny robots to take off and land will require developing controllers that function like insect brains.

Researchers initially developed a two-winged robotic bee, but its movement was limited. To perform a pitching or rolling motion, the researchers had the front wing flap differently than the rear wing for pitching, and the right wing flap differently than the left wing for rolling, creating two main levels that move the robot along its Torque of shaft rotation.

Being able to control complex twisting movements is very important. Without it, the robot loses control and cannot focus on one point. Having all degrees of movement is also crucial for evasive maneuvers or tracking objects.

To get the robot to twist in a controllable way, the researchers took a cue from insects and moved the wings so that they flap in an inclined plane. They increased the frequency at which the robot vibrated its wings per second, from 100 to 160 times per second.

A real bee is about 10 milligrams heavier than a bee, weighs about 105 milligrams, and has a wingspan of 33 millimeters. Unlike real insects, it can only fly autonomously for about 5 minutes at a time.

Text source: Science and Technology Daily

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