Get the latest tech news
Better-landing bee robot draws on the legs of the crane fly | The robot may find use in search and rescue operations, or the pollination of crop plants
Even if you've built one of the world's most advanced insect-inspired micro air vehicles (MAVs), it ultimately won't be that useful if it can't stick a good landing. That's why scientists at Harvard University have now given their RoboBee a set of long, jointed legs much like those of the crane fly.
Although other incarnations of the little robot have proven capable of feats such as flying underwater and perching on overhangs, the base model has never been that great at simply landing on flat (or other) surfaces. The RoboBee's four new crane-fly-inspired legs are long and flexible enough that they can all safely make contact with the ground before the bot's main body becomes affected by the turbulence. "Seeking bioinspiration within the amazing diversity of insects offers us countless avenues to continue improving the robot," says postdoctoral researcher Alyssa Hernandez, co-author of a paper on the study.
Or read this on r/tech