First response gearNew first response, military tool: surveillance insects
Micro air vehicles (MAVs) are tiny, insect-size UAVs used for search-and-rescue operations, surveillance, monitoring of hazardous environments, and detection of explosives; University of Michigan researchers had an idea: rather than build insect-size UAVs, why not use the insects themselves to fly these missions?
The Green June beetle, the species used by UM researchers // Source: yourdreambackyard.net
University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated a UAV – or, more precisely, a MAV (micro air vehicle) — that does not need an external power source. The researchers, who reported the results of their research in the Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, have achieved this featby harvesting the wing energy of an insect.
Insects get their energy from the food they eat, and then use that energy fly — and in the process the energy is wasted. The Michigan research team exploited this wasted energy by attaching piezoelectric generators to the wings of the insect.
Physorg reports that the experiment was done on a Green June Beetle and yielded around 45 µW of energy per insect. The beetle had certain implants for controlling its brain and movement. Researchers believe that the energy generated could be increased through a direct connection to the insect’s muscles.
The researchers placed the piezoelectric cantilever beams on the wings of the insect. These devices are designed to operate at 85-105 Hz, which is within the flapping frequency range of the Green June Beetle. The energy harvested could be further increased by using tiny solar cells on the top of the wings. This research could enable the extended operation of a MAV or cyborg. This also makes the beetle lighter and makes it capable of carrying tiny devices like camera or tracking electronics.
Physorg quotes the researchers to say that cyborg insects could have the same applications as MAVs, including search-and-rescue operations, surveillance, monitoring of hazardous environments, and detection of explosives.
— Read more in Ethem Erkan Aktakka et al., “Energy scavenging from insect flight,” Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 21 Number 9 (12 August 2011) (doi: 10.1088/0960-1317/21/9/095016)
