You're Gonna Need More Than a Fly-Swatter for this Little Pest

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There's a new man-made bug to be reckoned with, but it's not a germ, a strain of bacteria, or a fungus: it's a robotic fly, and it made its first flight this week at Harvard University. A life-size, robotic fly has taken flight at Harvard University. Weighing only 60 milligrams, with a wingspan of three centimeters, the tiny robot's movements are modeled on those of a real fly. While much work remains to be done on the mechanical insect, the researchers say that such small flying machines could one day be used as spies, or for detecting harmful chemicals. This is not the first robot designed to mimic an insect, however it is the first two-winged robot that has been built on such a small scale, and that uses the same motions as a real fly to lift off. While it's currently limited by a tether that keeps it moving in a straight, upward direction, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency—the group funding the project—is hoping that the little buggers will ultimately function well enough to be used on the battlefield and in urban environments as stealth surveillance robots. Tiny, lightweight sensors need to be integrated as well. Chemical sensors could be used, for example, to detect toxic substances in hazardous areas so that people can go into the area with the appropriate safety gear. What about robotic mosquitoes that can stealthily draw blood and test DNA? Or venomous robotic insects that can administer tranquilizers, or even poisons? The swarms are coming...

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