Flying microbots could help in traffic, rescue operations

When Philip K. Dick dreamed of electric sheep, he was probably not thinking of robotic bees, but it looks like that future is much closer to reality. Researchers at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University have designed a miniature winged bot called the RoboBee. These tiny robots can latch onto flat surfaces using static electricity, which uses between 500 and 1,000 less power than flying, according to The Verge. The implications of this technology is that it could lead to a large proliferation of public sensors. These robots are said to be ideal for long-term observation, which means they could be used for things such as monitoring traffic and search and rescue operations.

The RoboBee weighs just 0.08 grams and flies using wings that can beat 120 times per second. The electrostatic pad on top of the RoboBee allows it to stick to just about any surface, regardless of the material. One scientist suggested that renewable energy such as solar panels could be incorporated into the robot, thus enabling it to recharge while attached to a surface.

Some people might find the idea of ubiquitous robots with sensors flying around in public unsettling, but given the size of the RoboBee, the included sensors are probably less intrusive than public security cameras. The potential benefits are big, however, and it presents some new areas of exploration for the commercial drone industry. For the RoboBee, researchers suggested it could be used for things such as environmental monitoring and climate mapping. It could also be used for crop pollination, although hopefully not out of necessity because colony collapse disorder has wiped out all the bees in a dystopian future.

This technology probably does not have much appeal outside the commercial sector, but it is tough to say what innovators might come up with. Tiny drones from China makers have been relatively successful and continued to be a draw at booths at the Global Sources trade shows. Drone technology is increasingly getting put in smaller form factors as well. A drone designed for indoor use impressed the press recently with how sophisticated a notebook-sized UAV could be. When drones become as power-efficient as the RoboBee, though, buyers will be really amazed.