The microfliers developed by the UW researchers transform while gliding through the air. They’re designed to survey the atmosphere and environment. (Image Credit: Mark Stone/University of Washington)
The University of Washington researchers have developed origami-inspired robots called microfliers that unfold after being dropped from a drone. These robots are designed to collect environmental data while gliding through the air. The team’s concept uses the traditional Miura-ori folding technique to support these robots.
At first, these microfliers have a flat and unfolded shape when drones drop them from the air. Then, tiny altitude-measuring pressure sensors, Bluetooth signals, and timers allow these flying robots to transform in mid-air to alter the airflow’s effect on its structure. This gives it a more stabilized fall from the air, similar to what we see with maple leaves.
“Using origami opens up a new design space for microfliers,” said co-senior author Vikram Iyer, UW assistant professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. “We combine the Miura-ori fold, which is inspired by geometric patterns found in leaves, with power harvesting and tiny actuators to allow our fliers to mimic the flight of different leaf types in mid-air. This highly energy efficient method allows us to have battery-free control over microflier descent, which was not possible before.”
The microfliers feature onboard sensors, actuators, a solar-powered harvesting circuit, and a controller that causes the robot to transform in mid-air. (Image Credit: Mark Stone/University of Washington)
Thanks to their extreme lightweight (400 milligrams), the bots can traverse across the same distance as a football field if they’re dropped from 40 meters in the air. These also don’t rely on batteries for power. Instead, they use solar-powered actuators that activate at user-defined intervals to control when and how their shapes interact with the air. As a result, this gives them more control over directional descents.
The team thinks that if these unfold at various times, they can be distributed and cover more areas. Additionally, a 25-millisecond folding initiation means that precise timing can be reached. Even though these robots morph in one direction, the team wants to make later versions transform in both directions. Doing so would enable precise landings if turbulent weather occurs.
According to the researchers, these microfliers also work as sensors to survey the environment and atmosphere. So far, the models they have developed are capable of sending air temperature and pressure data using Bluetooth up to 60 meters away. They think its reach and capabilities could be improved later on.
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