New microrobot that looks like 'fairies' could help in agricultural pollination
quarta-feira, fevereiro 01, 2023
In the face of growing threats to natural pollinators, such as bees, and the challenge of ensuring global food production, researchers around the world have developed research-inpolling microrobot projects.
A team from the Light Robots group at the University of Tampere in Finland is developing an intelligent polymer capable of flying. Dubbed "FAIRY", the microrobot, which looks like a fairy, flies moved by the wind and is controlled by light. It was inspired by the plume shape of dandelion seed.
The "artificial fairy" has several biomimetic characteristics -- which mimic nature's creative principles and strategies -- it is coated with a crystalline liquid responsive to light, which induces the opening or closing of bristling.
Due to the high porosity and light structure, it can float easily in the air. "The fairy can be fed and controlled by a light source, such as a laser beam or LED," says researcher Hao Zeng, including takeoff and landing actions.
Potential applications
Researchers now focus on improving the sensitivity of the material to enable the device to operate in the transportation of microelectronics such as GPS and sensors, as well as biochemical compounds. There is potential for even more meaningful applications.
"It sounds like science fiction, but the proof-of-concept experiments included in our research show that the robot we developed takes an important step toward realistic applications suitable for artificial pollination," he says.
In the future, millions of microrobots carrying pollen could be dispersed freely in the air and then guided by light toward planting areas.
"This would have a major impact on global agriculture, as the loss of pollinators due to global warming has become a serious threat to biodiversity and food production," says Zeng. Challenges still need to be addressed, however.
How to control the landing site accurately, and how to reuse the devices and make them biodegradable? These issues require close collaboration with materials scientists and microrobotics experts.
The FAIRY project began in September 2021 and will last until August 2026, and preliminary results of the research were published in the journal Advanced Science.
Source: Um só Planeta
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