Researchers at MIT and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne have built a robotic bird that can complete the entire journey of flying, plunging into water, and swimming below the surface before launching back into the air using the same set of flapping wings.
Breakthrough in Robotics
The 8.8-ounce robot relies on flapping wings instead of propellers and completes its water launch without legs or a complicated wing-folding mechanism. This design presents a major engineering problem due to the significant difference in density between water and air, but the robot adjusts its flapping speed and its flexible wings change shape as the surrounding pressure increases.
The robot’s most efficient travel mode depends on the distance ahead, with flying using less energy once a journey extends beyond roughly 51 feet. For shorter trips, staying underwater may make more sense. The prototype costs around $300 in materials and uses parts that researchers can source commercially.
Potential Applications
The robotic bird could help scientists monitor waterways and coastal environments by flying toward an area of interest, diving to collect a sample, and then returning with the data. Potential missions could include taking measurements near an iceberg or observing marine wildlife from a safer distance.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
