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Research Microrobot Flies as Fast as a Bumblebee

Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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With its insect-like speed and agility, the tiny robot could one day assist in search and rescue missions.

Fast and agile like a bumblebee, a new microrobot by engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).(Image: MIT)
Fast and agile like a bumblebee, a new microrobot by engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
(Image: MIT)

Quick and agile like a bumblebee, a new microrobot developed by engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) showcases impressive capabilities. Its great flexibility in the air makes the robo-bumblebee an ideal tool for search-and-rescue operations, such as after earthquakes. It can even avoid falling debris. Speed and acceleration have increased by 450 percent and even 250 percent, respectively, compared to the previously fastest microrobots created by the developers.

AI-Based Control Enables Acrobatic Flight Maneuvers

Control is of critical importance. The MIT engineers developed it based on artificial intelligence (AI). It enables acrobatic flight maneuvers to fly around obstacles and pass through narrow gaps. Even spectacular but impractical flips in large numbers over a short period are possible. The robo-bumblebee achieves ten somersaults in eleven seconds. Even gusty winds do not throw it off course.

A two-stage, AI-driven control scheme ensures the robustness required for complex, fast maneuvers. Additionally, it provides the computational efficiency necessary for real-time use.(Image: MIT)
A two-stage, AI-driven control scheme ensures the robustness required for complex, fast maneuvers. Additionally, it provides the computational efficiency necessary for real-time use.
(Image: MIT)

"We can deploy these robots in situations where conventional quadcopter robots would struggle to fly. With our bio-inspired control, the robot's flight performance in terms of speed, acceleration, and tilt angle is comparable to that of insects," emphasizes MIT scientist Kevin Chen.

Robo-Bumblebee Weighs Less Than A Paperclip

The robo-bumblebee weighs less than a paperclip. It is powered by artificial muscles that make its wings flutter at an extremely high frequency. Its agility is owed to a so-called model predictive control, which calculates the optimal subsequent movements of the artificial insect based on its current position. For this, the control system is trained and learns through imitation.

The researchers have found an intelligent method to limit the amount of training data to just what is necessary. The AI-driven controller receives the respective robot positions as inputs and outputs control commands in real time to adjust thrust and flight direction to current needs. In the next step, the developers plan to equip their artificial insect with cameras and sensors to make it practically usable.

About the Project

This research is partially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, MathWorks, and the Zakhartchenko Fellowship. Learn more at: news.mit.edu

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