UC Berkeley graduate student Wei Yue (left) and engineering professor Liwei Lin.
Credit: Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering
Credit: Adam Lau/Berkeley Engineering
Engineers at UC Berkeley have achieved a pioneering achievement in robotics, rolling out the world’s smallest wireless flying robot.
Measuring just 9.4 millimetres in diameter and weighing a mere 21 milligrams, this tiny bee-inspired bot represents a giant step in miniaturised technology. Developed by a team from Berkeley’s mechanical engineering department, the robot shows incredible agility, capable of hovering, changing directions mid-air, and striking small targets with precision.
A newly published paper has laid out the inspiration for the invention which comes from nature and how bees act flying from flower to flower. ‘Bees exhibit remarkable abilities like navigation and hovering that artificial robots of similar scale have struggled to replicate,’ said Liwei Lin, a professor of mechanical engineering and co-author of the study. The tiny robot’s design overcomes a key challenge in micro-robotics: power.
Tiniest flying robot unveiled doesn’t need batteries
Traditional batteries and electronics are too heavy for such a small size. Instead, the team employed an external magnetic field to drive the robot. Two miniature magnets within its propeller-like structure repel each other under an alternating current, causing lift and enabling controlled flight.
The invention opens doors to a range of applications, from exploring tight spaces in search-and-rescue missions to advancing scientific research in confined environments, not to mention in military applications. Fanping Sui, a recent Berkeley Ph.D. graduate and co-first author, stressed its potential: ‘Tiny flying robots are ideal for navigating complicated settings where larger flying devices can’t go.’
While the robot currently lacks onboard sensors that feed back information about its position, the team hopes to further develop it to be able to carry cameras and make it more autonomous.
