A small robot designed to replicate the dynamics of a rhinoceros beetle’s wings could be ideal for conducting search and rescue missions, as well as monitoring real insects, say researchers from the Ecole Polytechnique of Lausanne in Switzerland and Konkuk University in South Korea.
The tiny robot is about twice the size of a beetle and weighs slightly more than a CD (18 grams), and its fast, insect-like movements are derived from studies of how beetles spread their wings. Unlike birds and bats, which rely on “well-developed pectoral and wing muscles” to extend their wings, the researchers observed that “rhinoceros beetles can effortlessly expand their hind wings without requiring muscle activity,” they observed in writes a paper published this week in the journal Nature. To test their observations, they built robots.
There are already tons of footage of insect robots online – some are very small, some resemble a swarm of ants, and some are reminiscent of cicadas. However, the researchers say their robotic critter is unique in that it folds its wings while resting and then passively unfolds them to fly and stay airborne. The researchers filmed the robot in the air and slowed the footage down (to 20% of its actual speed) to show off its graceful, rhythmic flaps.
Lead researcher and postdoctoral scientist Hoang-Vu Phan told Tech Xplore, noting that the robot’s small stature and foldable wings could be used to perform search and rescue missions in confined spaces. “When unable to fly, the robot can land or perch on any surface and then switch to other locomotion modes, such as crawling,” he explains. The folding feature makes its wings less susceptible to damage.
Pan also said the robot could be disguised as helping biologists monitor real insects in forests — a use “traditional rotary-wing drones are not suitable for,” he said. Pan suggested that the robot could even make a good engineering toy for kids, explaining that the robot’s “low flapping frequency is very safe and human-friendly.” It’s not unlike a real rhino beetle, despite their appearance A bit scary, but it neither bites nor stings.
