Collaborate Disseminate
Currently the only way of getting stable video of insects in flight involves tethering them in place – which some people would say isn’t really “flying” at all. Now, however, French scientists have developed a camera platform that moves through the air… Continue reading Robotic camera system moves along with insects in flight
It was seven years ago that we first heard about Harvard University’s HAMR cockroach-inspired robot. Although the bot was already on the tiny side, its designers have now created a version that’s just half its size – it’s time to meet HAMR-JR.Continue … Continue reading HAMR-JR is one of the smallest, fastest walking robots ever
Researchers at the University of Texas in Austin claim to have identified the world’s oldest bug. The specimen is a millipede ancestor found on the island of Kerrera in Scotland, and it dates back 425 million years. The team says that this finding impl… Continue reading Scottish millipede fossil found to be world’s oldest known bug
Researchers at the University of Texas in Austin claim to have identified the world’s oldest bug. The specimen is a millipede ancestor found on the island of Kerrera in Scotland, and it dates back 425 million years. The team says that this finding impl… Continue reading Scottish millipede fossil found to be world’s oldest known bug
The “sea skater” is one of the few insects that lives full-time in a marine environment. Scientists are now taking a closer look at how the animal repels water, with an eye towards the development of more hydrodynamic ship hulls.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading Discovery of ocean insect’s secret could lead to slipperier ships
Scientists investigating the genetics underlying a peculiar behavior in South Africa’s Cape honey bee have made a groundbreaking discovery, pinpointing the single gene that enables them to reproduce without having sex. The finding not only answers a de… Continue reading Scientists pinpoint single gene behind virgin birth of Cape honey bees
Responsible for millions of dollars in crop losses annually, the red palm weevil is a flying beetle that lays its eggs inside date palm trees. It could soon be possible to detect such infestations earlier than ever, using fiber optic cables.Continue Re… Continue reading Fiber optic tech could save date palms from infestations
A newly discovered microbe identified in wild mosquito populations in Kenya has been found to protect the insects from malaria infection. It’s hypothesized the microbe could be recruited for malaria control strategies to limit transmission of the disea… Continue reading Newly discovered parasitic fungus blocks malaria infecting mosquitoes
Insects rapidly transition between different walking gaits, in response to external stimuli. Scientists have now created a small robot that can do the same thing, utilizing an integrated artificial neural network – the technology might ultimately find … Continue reading Walking robot uses neural net to change gaits
Soft-bodied robots have numerous desirable qualities, such as the ability to squeeze through gaps, or survive being stepped on. And so far, they’ve typically been manually assembled on a one-off basis. That could be about to change, though, thanks to a… Continue reading Semi-soft “flexoskeleton” robots inspired by insects