Created a robot the size of a bee, able to fly and swim

Specialists from the United States, Hong Kong and Britain presented a joint work - a mini-robot that knows how to fly and swim.

The size of the device - only 2 cm, weight - 175 mg. Dimensions approximately correspond to the parameters of an ordinary bee. The robot is able to flap its wings in the air at a speed of 250 times in one second. Under water, its speed is much more modest - only 9 times per second. This is due to the fact that, due to the small size of such a robot, it is almost impossible to stabilize it under water.

The hardest thing was to lift the device above the surface of the water, because with such a weight the tension of the water is a very serious resistance. In order to overcome it, the specialists needed to connect electrodes to the supports. The supply of current provides the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Since such a mixture is very flammable, a couple of minutes is enough to produce a spark that stimulates the impulse necessary to overcome water resistance.

The process of taking off above water takes place as follows. The spark ignites a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, after which the robot practically jumps out of the water to a height of 30-35 cm. The speed that it is capable of developing is 2 m / s. The device cannot fly immediately after this, as it is too heavy. Therefore, the robot needs to “dry the wings” for some time, after which it will again be able to leave the surface of the earth.

The authors of the novelty expect that the schemes that they used to create a microscopic robot will help to create new technologies for the work of rescue and research equipment.