Overview
RoboBee is a small flapping-wing robot modeled on the bee, designed to create a colony of robotic bees that mimic the behavior of real bees. The insect-inspired robot is intended to perform search and reconnaissance operations, especially where humans cannot go. With a modular, easy-to-fabricate design, RoboBee is equipped with bio-inspired actuators, sensors, and flying control mechanisms. The robot can steer in midair, land and swim in water, hover and pivot, and fly untethered while powered by lasers and solar cells.
Detailed specifications
Other12
- Applications
- environmental monitoring,disaster surveillance,artificial pollination
- Sub Category
- microrobot
- Auto Charging
- true
- Model Variants
- RoboBee,RoboBee X-Wing
- Company Country
- US
- Navigation Type
- vision
- Deployment Notes
- First untethered flight at Harvard Microrobotics Lab; published in Nature 2019.
- Youtube Video Id
- K9Jh9IIByHg
- Industries Served
- research,agriculture
- Availability Status
- research-only
- Countries Available
- US
- Additional Information
- Research prototype from Harvard Microrobotics Laboratory led by Prof. Robert Wood.,Cover story in Science Robotics (April 2025).,Legs are inspired by crane fly anatomy, using data from Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology.,Improved controller enables soft landing on surfaces like leaves and rigid platforms.,Potential future applications include environmental monitoring, disaster surveillance, and artificial pollination.,Current limitations: tethered to off-board control; goal is full autonomy with onboard sensors, power, and control.,Key researchers: Christian Chan (mechanical redesign), Nak-seung Patrick Hyun (controller), Alyssa Hernandez (bioinspiration).,Related projects from the lab include diving/swimming RoboBee variant.,Supported by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
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