The 'RoboFly' is Powered By Laser-Derived Electric Power
Rahul Kalvapalle — May 21, 2018 — Tech
References: washington.edu & newatlas
A group of engineers and designers behind the famed 'RoboBee' robotic bee have now gone ahead and developed a brand new robotic insect dubbed 'RoboFly,' that is unique in that it is capable of flying without the need for a tether.
The RoboFly robotic insect does this thanks to a laser-powered mechanism in which a laser is focused on a special photovoltaic cell situated atop the robot. The energy from the laser light is then converted to electric power, which the robot's circuit uses to power its wing-flapping motion. While the current iteration of the RoboFly can take off and land, future versions will be able to fly whilst receiving continuous laser power.
This compact and eco-friendly flying robot could offer a wide variety of applications in industrial settings, and could be used to detect pipe leaks or delve into heavy pipelines and machinery in search of defects.
The RoboFly robotic insect does this thanks to a laser-powered mechanism in which a laser is focused on a special photovoltaic cell situated atop the robot. The energy from the laser light is then converted to electric power, which the robot's circuit uses to power its wing-flapping motion. While the current iteration of the RoboFly can take off and land, future versions will be able to fly whilst receiving continuous laser power.
This compact and eco-friendly flying robot could offer a wide variety of applications in industrial settings, and could be used to detect pipe leaks or delve into heavy pipelines and machinery in search of defects.
3.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
