We have seen some incredible robotic designs in the recent past. Add to that a jellyfish-like robot now which weighs a mere 2g and is able to fly into the air and float.
The design for this particular robot seems to have been inspired from the jellyfish. This tiny robot is a mere 4 inches across in size and squirts out air which, in turn, propels it up and allows it to fly. The squirt movement makes it look a lot like the way jellyfish moves through water.
The robot has been designed by Leif Ristroph and Stephen Childress, both of which are a part of the New York University‘s Courant Institute. The toughest part of the design, Ristroph reveals, is to stabilize the flapping of the wings. It was here that the use of squirt air motion came in handy for the designers.
For now, the tiny robot is not entirely independent and has to rely on an external power source to help aid its movement. The power supply is connected to the robot through a wire, although the designers argue that in the coming days, they aim to make the robot entirely independent.
Check the video below –
The incredible thing about this robot’s design, as Ristroph points out himself, is that it is not very intelligent. In his own words, “That’s the beauty of the design. It doesn’t need a ‘smart’ design to help it recover.”
For now, the two designers have cited their creation as a proof-of-concept in a recent presentation. In the future, they aim to refine the design and make it more practical, so much so that it may be able to help in tasks such as monitoring air pollution.
Courtesy: Daily Mail
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