Flapping-wing bio-inspired micro air vehicle
May 2, 2013 7:11 PM   Subscribe

[V]Robo Raven[V] is a robot bird. So uncanny a hawk attacked it during testing. Other robot birds include the SmartBird, a flying robotic seagull, and AirPenguins. Robobee is a robot bee.
posted by stbalbach (13 comments total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
This is really cool.

I do have to say: it's not like it's that hard to confuse predators. I mean, traps and shark attacks and all manner of phenomena have the intended or unintended effect of mimicking prey. Just sayin.' Still a cool post
posted by es_de_bah at 7:42 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]


"Here at Phillips Petroleum, we're working on ways to replace the environment. Take these self-cleaning plastic ducks...."
posted by JHarris at 8:16 PM on May 2, 2013


Did William Gibson know they were developing the air penguin when he put it in "Zero History"?

And how hard will it be to weaponize ...
posted by bert2368 at 8:23 PM on May 2, 2013


First controlled flight of a RoboBee (with external power and processing).
posted by Behemoth at 8:30 PM on May 2, 2013


Did William Gibson know they were developing the air penguin when he put it in "Zero History"?

Surely he did - it matches his description exactly. Unless they stole the idea from him. There is precedent for Gibson's ideas being willed into reality, like the black Buzz Rickson's from Pattern Recognition.

And how hard will it be to weaponize ...

Not hard at all - it's already got a CLAW!
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:37 PM on May 2, 2013


Actually, on review, Zero History was published in 2010, and the penguin article is from 2009. So I imagine that Gibson did know about it.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 8:43 PM on May 2, 2013


Wasn't this already done 2000 years ago by Athena? Bubo anybody?
posted by Metro Gnome at 11:12 PM on May 2, 2013


Not to toot my own horn or anything, but (previously)
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 1:41 AM on May 3, 2013


Now that's a 0/2 flying artifact creature if I ever saw one.
posted by NMcCoy at 1:51 AM on May 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


Great to see some shots of it in the park. I was disappointed not to see any toddler abduction however.
posted by rongorongo at 3:45 AM on May 3, 2013


Don't forget the AeroVironment Hummingbird.

And on the academic side, DelFly has been around for a while.
posted by indubitable at 5:02 AM on May 3, 2013


Just saying the word "Robobee" out loud makes you say it in an overly-dramatic voice.
posted by davejay at 9:35 AM on May 3, 2013


Really, Really neat!
I know that they want to use them for search and rescue and artificial pollination.
I hope that the artificial pollination thing takes off and works, but the only way I see this really as doable world wide is if they are breed with 3D printers in some way, and able to self replicate. That's the robot world I want to live in. Where you can be in your yard, and a swarm of robo bees swarm in, pollinate your flowers and fruit trees, then head to your neighbors.
Take that natural born bees!
posted by QueerAngel28 at 9:36 AM on May 7, 2013


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