Technology often draws inspiration from nature but researchers at the University of Washington have turned to literal bumblebees to create a new wireless platform. While the team did attempt to use mechanical drones at first, they found that these mechanical options had a host of issues and were limited by battery life. This is when the team of researchers chose to go with a more natural route, with insects being chosen because of their natural predilection for the terrain the researchers wanted to monitor.
Bumblebees were ultimately chosen to launch the wireless platform because of their ability to carry payloads of nearly their own body weight and because of their ability to fly for hours. A small rechargeable battery is then equipped to the electronics carried by the bees to ensure it can last for up to seven hours.
Bee-Powered Tech Platforms
The University of Washington is Using Bees for a Wireless Platform
Trend Themes
1. Nature-inspired Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore other natural organisms and their abilities to inspire new tech platforms.
2. Biomimicry - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Apply the principles of insect behavior to create more efficient and sustainable wireless platforms.
3. Organic Monitoring Systems - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop wireless platforms that utilize living organisms for environmental monitoring and data collection.
Industry Implications
1. Wireless Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize insects or other natural organisms as carriers for wireless devices in various industries.
2. Agriculture - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Use bees or other insects to monitor crops and gather data on plant health and growth.
3. Environmental Monitoring - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Employ insects or other organisms as sensors for tracking and observing changes in the environment.