Futuristic ‘RoboBees’ To Utilise Static Charges For Efficient Flight

In the robotics industry, tiny flying objects are conquering the first position when we consider the industrial background and varying usage of such aerial artificial devices. Following this trend, research institutes are taking interest in those fields aiming to achieve ideal structures capable of performing almost anything. Recently, a team of robotics experts from the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have envisioned an artificial fly, formally known as RoboBat and nicknamed – RoboBee, which can give rest to its own body if it feels tired during a flight.

According to the team’s first author Moritz Graule, many of today’s aerial designs stay up in the air for a long time and requires external instrumentation to back up the device. In expense of constant energy, the system unnecessarily uses all of that even it’s not required. Owing to Nature’s diverse phenomena, the group of researchers have unanimously concluded that all of the gliding animals save their energy by perching or taking shelter, something which helps them to restore their energy. In an awe-inspiring manner, birds, butterflies and bees produce secretions or adhesive elements to help them perch which in a way that is very tough for convoluted systems with moving parts.

This time, as an alternative, scientists have turned to the fundamental physics phenomenon of static electric charge, which is known for keeping our hair straight up against gravity while combing. Relying on the same theory, the team has slowly set out to achieve the target. If a balloon is rubbed against wool, it acquires negative charges. Now, when the balloon is placed close to the wall, the negative charges placed on the balloons’ surface replaces negative charges placed on wall and simply sticks to the wall as at that instant the wall consists of positive charges, having affinity towards charge of the opposite kind.

The team explained that in the aforementioned case, the balloon will eventually fall down as the charge diminishes but their microbot is consistently powered by an energy source. Weighing only 100 mg, the artificial bee consists of an electrode patch and a shock-absorber foam mount. Once a spark hits the electrode patch, it can literally stick to any object ranging from wood to glass. The system takes 1000 times less energy to perch than required to hover, but for now, it can only perch using its upper surface.

Listing their future plans, the team promises to manipulate the mechanical design in such a way so that it could stick to almost anything. Robert wood, the Charles River Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences at SEAS explained that one of the most elegant features of this robot is that it balances its own body while segregating into pieces and consumes very low power which ultimately strengthens the battery life. The complete research paper has been published in the ‘Science’ Journal and has been generously supported by the National Science Foundation, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and the Swiss Study Foundation.

Watch how RoboBee can stick to almost any surface:

Source: #-Link-Snipped-# | #-Link-Snipped-#