An engineering researcher and associate professor has recently received funding from NASA to further development on robotic Marsbees. These robotic bees may sound like a science-fiction nightmare, but their development will be pivotal in better collecting samples from the red planet and could even be used to map the terrain of mars. While not modeled exactly after bees, the team behind the robotic Marbees crafted their robots to be the same size as honeybees and to work in swarms.
The small robots will be lightweight structures and will still manage to include a battery, motor, digital module for communication and a sensor. The robots will also utilize a solar cell material for the wings which can provide lift and harvest solar energy to power the robot. These robotic Marsbees are building off previous attempts to develop small flying vehicles designed for Earth, but will greatly improve on their designs to withstand the atmospheric densities of Mars.
Image Credit: Donna Armstrong/Hatchet Photographer
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Robotic Insects
- More research and development on robotic insects for various applications.
- Space Exploration Drones
- New innovations for creating drones that can withstand the challenging conditions of space.
- Swarm Robotics
- Advancements in the development and deployment of swarm robotics for various industries.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Aerospace and Defense
- Expanding the use of robotic technology for space exploration in the aerospace industry.
- Environmental Monitoring
- Incorporating robotic insects for environmental monitoring and sampling in industries such as agriculture and forestry.
- Consumer Electronics
- Introducing consumer-friendly robotic insects for various uses such as surveillance.
