Scientists have created an insect-inspired robot that can fly and swim
RoboBee surpasses the capabilities of many real insects.
Scientists at Harvard have created a robotic bee that is able to land and sit on water before taking off again.
The new version of the RoboBee, a robot first introduced in 2013, uses an internal combustion system to propel itself back into the air from a resting position on water, as well as swim upwards from below the surface.
The work has been carried out by the Harvard John A Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), alongside the university’s Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering.
Yufeng Chen, a graduate student who was part of the SEAS team and first author of the research paper on the robot, said: “This is the first microrobot capable of repeatedly moving in and through complex environments.
“We designed new mechanisms that allow the vehicle to directly transition from water to air, something that is beyond what nature can achieve in the insect world.”
Harvard has now filed a patent application for the tiny robot.
