The day the robot pollinates may not be that far away. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are currently working on robotic insects that can quickly pollinate and pollinate quickly, boosting fruit and vegetable production on an unimaginable scale. . If this proves efficient, these small robots can exponentially increase crop yields without harming the planet.
The idea of robots as pollen carriers is nothing new. The aforementioned robot reportedly is not durable and lacks the speed and air versatility found in honeybees and other real insects. Scientists also use methods such as mechanical pollination to carry out artificial pollination.
According to a research paper titled “Acrobatics at the Insect Scale: Durable, Accurate, Agile Microarea Robotics,” published in the Journal of Science Robotics, scientists design with the ability to address limitations It has been revealed that it can be constructed. of mechanical pollination. The small robot reportedly has flapping wings that mimic the movement of a bee, and weighs under the gram. The new model is agile, showing advances in small-scale robotics.
When it comes to insects, they are agile and accurate due to their small frames and fast neuromotor control. “They perform impressive acrobatic manipulation when avoiding predators, recovering from gusts of wind, and landing on moving objects. The flapping wing’s propulsion is resistant to instantaneous force and torque. It is advantageous for flight agility as it can lead to major changes,” read the paper’s summary.
Insects show exceptional flexibility and fatigue resistance, while microaircraft (MAVs) have significantly lower lifespans. Most MAVs can only hover in under 10 seconds. Alternatively, you can follow a simpler path at a faster speed. MIT scientists have developed a 750 mg flap wing MAV that introduces improved lifespan, speed, accuracy and agility.
Based on research papers, these robots can hover for 1,000 seconds (more than 16 minutes). This is 100 times longer than other small robots. Additionally, the robot can fly complex paths at a good speed of 30 cm per second. The robot can climb quickly and can also do flips much faster than some insects and large drones. Simply put, small robots can have insect-like endurance and agility.
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