March 29, 2024

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They communicate by light and will be used to track victims after a disaster

They communicate by light and will be used to track victims after a disaster

At night and in the midst of nature, the light of fireflies has always been seen as an idyllic sight It leaves everyone who thinks of it intrigued. It is rare to find them in Spain, despite the fact that summer is the best time. But, far from being merely an ornament in the romantic scenes of cinema, it is An interesting communication system to replicate with botsAnd the small devices Such mechanical insects.

[Microfliers, los chips voladores inspirados en semillas que analizan la contaminación ambiental]

These insects use light to attract a mate and prey, even to ward off predators. Robots don’t need to mate, but they do Electric lighting can be used as a tracking system If its small size does not allow it to equip other sensors or communication antennas.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have applied “magic powder” to tiny winged robots to give them the ability to glow in different colors and Sending messages that glow when wings are flapping. Progress is based on a previous project that We have already explained in this methodArtificial muscles have been developed to flap the wings of robotic insects.

Why this

A robot that finds survivors can use lights Point out others and ask for help“, one of the use cases considered by this team of engineers. Large robots can communicate with different technologies, via Bluetooth connection, via WiFi, using GPS, different antennas and sensors. But if space is reduced a lot, it is necessary to consider Alternative options that do not add weight to small equipment or deplete the small battery in it.

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When it lights up, MIT engineers were able to accurately track its path using only cell phone cameras. This possibility would be great outdoors. Outside the lab, the infrared cameras used to track them down don’t work well. And its small size makes it easy for them to get lost because they can’t hold the sensors.

firefly robots

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

omicron

The team was able to give this glowing quality to their tiny robots using a special insect flap they previously designed to be able to fly three times its weight. A series of modifications was enough to achieve the desired result.

How did they get it?

A simple design summary for these winged machines: The rectangular microbot has four sets of wings that must carry its weight as far as possible. The body of the device weighs a quarter of a penny, which is too light to help the artificial muscles that act as wings.

These appendages consist of layers of elastomer sandwiched between two very thin electrodes and then rolled into a soft roller. By applying effort to the actuator, the electrodes contract on the elastomer forcing the muscle To make a movement similar to the wings of an insect.

After this breakthrough, the researchers decided to make the muscles luminous. To do this, they combined Electroluminescent zinc sulfate particles in synthetic rubberIn addition, a number of modifications were made to the previous design to allow the robot to shine brightly.

MIT Winged Microbot

MIT Winged Microbot

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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The carbon nanotubes that optimize the potential energy should be Transparent to allow light to pass through, so it was necessary to reduce its thickness to only a few nanometers. On the other hand, it was necessary to find a way to deliver a high frequency so that the zinc particles ignite without draining the robot’s battery.

“Traditionally, electric lighting materials are very expensive in terms of energy, but we don’t need new performance or new cables or anything. Only about 3% more energy “Let the light shine,” explains Kevin Chen, head of the Soft and Micro Robotics Laboratory at the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) and lead author of the experiment.

[Bajo la piel o en el brick de leche: los chips flexibles lo conectarán todo]

It was also necessary to thicken the top layer of the elastomer by a few micrometers where the zinc particles were certainly placed, since these Reduce player quality And they came to cause decomposition over time. The thicker final layer ensures good strength, although it reduces the weight a little and increases it a little (2.5%).

This top layer receives green, orange, and blue colored particles to create multicolored lights. By applying different masks, it is possible to create luminous figures that serve, for example, so that the MIT acronym can be read on the small device.

Track with iPhone

After completing the design and manufacturing process, the researchers tested the communication capabilities of the young robotic fireflies. Using iPhone camerasThey do not point to the model and the color of the light emitted by it is not detected and that image is passed to a computer program that tracks the location of each artificial insect.

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They explained that thanks to the use of infrared radiation from mobile phone imaging equipment, it is possible to “track the position and position of the robots”. The system can indicate the position and color that the robot emits 2 millimeter accuracy.

robot firefly

robot firefly

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

omicron

Looking to the future, the team is now focusing on integrating control signals so the robots can turn light on and off while in flight. The ultimate goal is that these devices They can communicate in a similar way to what real fireflies do. They are also studying how electric light can improve some properties of these soft artificial muscles.

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