tech:

taffy

Harvard Researchers Continue Work On Autonomous Robotic Insects

harvard_robotic_insects

Harvard University researchers are continuing work on autonomic robotic insects, says the university in a statement.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard, are currently working on dozens of tests, including control maneuvers and landing. The next steps, they say, will involve integrating the parallel work of different research teams that are working on the brain, colony coordination behavior, the power source, and so on, until the robotic insects are fully autonomous and wireless.

The robotic insect is Inspired by the biology of a fly, with sub-millimeter-scale anatomy and two wafer-thin wings that flap almost invisibly, 120 times per second. 

The tiny robot flaps its wings with piezoelectric actuators, strips of ceramic that expand and contract when an electric field is applied. It has thin hinges of plastic embedded within the carbon fiber body frame, serving as joints. A control system commands the rotational motions, with each wing controlled independently in real time. 

Applications of the RoboBees project could include distributed environmental monitoring, search-and-rescue operations, or assistance with crop pollination.

The first flight took place last summer in a Harvard robotics laboratory. Researchers have now demonstrated the first controlled flight. You can watch a video of the flight here. 

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard.

We carried a story on how the robots were being made.  You may find this interesting, as well: Use Big Robots To Build Tiny Robots, Suggests Harvard Engineers

[Image courtesy: Harvard University]

Just in

Apple sued in a landmark iPhone monopoly lawsuit — CNN

The US Justice Department and more than a dozen states filed a blockbuster antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, accusing the giant company of illegally monopolizing the smartphone market, writes Brian Fung, Hannah Rabinowitz and Evan Perez.

Google is bringing satellite messaging to Android 15 — The Verge

Google’s second developer preview for Android 15 has arrived, bringing long-awaited support for satellite connectivity alongside several improvements to contactless payments, multi-language recognition, volume consistency, and interaction with PDFs via apps, writes Jess Weatherbed. 

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman is paid more than the heads of Meta, Pinterest, and Snap — combined — QZ

Reddit co-founder and CEO Steve Huffman has been blasted by Redditors and in media reports over his recently-revealed, super-sized pay package of $193 million in 2023, writes Laura Bratton. 

British AI pioneer Mustafa Suleyman joins Microsoft — BBC

Microsoft has announced British Artificial Intelligence pioneer Mustafa Suleyman will lead its newly-formed division, Microsoft AI, according to the BBC report. 

UnitedHealth Group has paid more than $2 billion to providers following cyberattack — CNBC

UnitedHealth Group said Monday that it’s paid out more than $2 billion to help health-care providers who have been affected by the cyberattack on subsidiary Change Healthcare, writes Ashley Capoot.