Inspired by fireflies, researchers create insect-scale robots that can emit light when they fly, which enables motion tracking and communication.
Inspired by fireflies, researchers create insect-scale robots that can emit light when they fly, which enables motion tracking and communication.
Fireflies that light up dusky backyards on warm summer evenings use their luminescence for communication — to attract a mate, ward off predators, or lure prey.
These glimmering bugs also sparked the inspiration of scientists at MIT. Taking a cue from nature, they built electroluminescent soft artificial muscles for flying, insect-scale robots. The tiny artificial muscles that control the robots’ wings emit colored light during flight.
This electroluminescence could enable the robots to communicate with each other. If sent on a search-and-rescue mission into a collapsed building, for instance, a robot that finds survivors could use lights to signal others and call for help.
Read more at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Image: Caption:Inspired by fireflies, MIT researchers have created soft actuators that can emit light in different colors or patterns. (Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers)
