Mosquitoes may not come to mind as a beloved species. Annoying bites at best, and serious illnesses like malaria and Zika, have relegated them to an unwelcome purgatory of insects. One of their most compelling abilities is obstacle detection, which allows them to perform even in the dark. To accomplish this, they rely on a series of cells (over 12,000) at the base of their antenna that respond to small changes in atmospheric pressure. Therefore, when approaching obstacles such as walls or the ground, the antenna vibrates differently depending on the airflow. A group of researchers analyzed how mosquitoes known to carry Zika and Nile viruses perform these complex manipulations. and got thousands of frames.
After a team of researchers from the Royal Veterinary College and the University of Leeds (both in the UK) found the key, they turned their findings into developing sensors aboard small drones.this innovative technology project It consists of a series of lights that activate when they detect nearby surfaces. This is a very light sensor, at just 9.2 grams, and very energy efficient. Researchers believe that in the future, drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles will help deliver packages and inspect structures in low light. And in a full size helicopter.
biomimetic drone
The case of mosquito-inspired drones is one such example. biomimetics or biomimicryThere are also other models of drones that look to other insects and animals for inspiration. For example, a team of researchers recently created drones based on bat wings and their ability to assume different forms. The Bat Bot is a tiny device weighing just 93 grams that uses a silicone membrane as wings to double its possible movements.
Another type of drone was developed at Purdue University by mechanical engineer Xinyan Deng, who created a hummingbird-inspired drone. This 3D printed artificial hummingbird is the same size as the original creature. Thanks to the high-speed flapping wing design, this model can perform all kinds of movements, and almost instantly he turns 180 degrees.
It’s also worth mentioning a bee-inspired drone called RoboBee created at Harvard University. The importance of these new approaches is to create flying machines with extremely lightweight batteries.
