A robotic bee that can fly fully in all directions has been developed by Washington State University researchers. With four wings made from carbon fiber and mylar as well as four light-weight actuators to control each wing, the Bee++ prototype is the first to fly stably in all directions. That includes the tricky twisting motion known as yaw, with the Bee++ fully achieving the six degrees of free movement that a typical flying insect displays. To allow their robot to twist in a controlled manner, the researchers took a cue from insects and moved the wings so that they flapped in an angled plane.
They also increased the number of times per second their robot can flap its wings, from 100 to 160 times per second. Part of the solution was the physical design of the robot, using a new design for the controller. Weighing in at 95 mg with a 33-millimeter wingspan, the Bee++ is still bigger than real bees, which weigh around 10 milligrams. Unlike real insects, it can only fly autonomously for about five minutes at a time, so it is mostly tethered to a power source through a cable. The researchers are also working to develop other types of insect robots, including crawlers and water striders.
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