A robotic insect makes flight

Scientists in America have created an artificial insect

By Nicole Hamer |

13:18 03 May 2013

US scientists have created a robotic insect that is the same size as a fly. The artificial insect is able to carry out movements similar to that of a fly. The developers were from Harvard University in America.

The robotic insect has been reported in the journal Science.

It is understood the small robot has agility when it soars in the air – like that of a fly. This is believed to be as a result of exact movements in the wings of the tiny robot.

The development is being referred to by some as ‘robo-fly’ or ‘robobee’. It is made of carbon fibre and weighs very little.

Comparable to an actual fly, the artificial insect can apparently move its wings roughly 120 times per second.

Doctor Kevin Ma, of Harvard University, said that there could be multiple benefits had from the creation.

One suggestion he said was: “We could envision these robots being used for search-and-rescue operations to search for human survivors under collapsed buildings or [in] other hazardous environments.”

The aim behind the work however, was to get a better idea of how insects fly.

An insect holds its wings at a particular angle in the air, meaning air is deflected down thus enabling the insect to operate in the air.