October 12, 2011 at 1:08 am
The parasitic wasp (Dicopomorpha echmepterygis) is the smallest flying creature in the world with a length of approximately 0.1mm-0.17mm and a weight of only 0.000025 grams. It typically serves as a biological crop protector by killing the eggs from which harmful caterpillars grow. The wasp is technically a parasitoid because while parasites live off the expense […]
October 2, 2011 at 11:09 pm
This spider is a little guy, and that is the only reason his mode of transport works. When the Stegodyphus wants to move long distances it takes to the wind. It will raise its tail in the air and release a large amount of threads in the air. After it has released enough the wind […]
September 25, 2011 at 3:32 pm
Cornell University has recently been working on perfecting the replication of insect flying techniques in robots. While not a new idea, their approach uses new technology to make the process of creating the robot less time-consuming and faulty. The wings of the rob-insect were created using a 3-D printer in order to achieve the optimal wing shape […]
September 24, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Researchers from Harvard and UC Berkeley have collaborated to build a 60-milligram robotic fly, the smallest scale biomimetic device ever created. Although the robot is currently only capable of tethered vertical flight, the technology could one day lead to miniature drones with military or rescue functions. Houseflies, and all insects capable of flight, are extremely […]
September 6, 2011 at 1:37 pm
This is the blog of the engineering freshman seminar course titled “Bio-Aerial Locomotion”, taught by Prof. Lorena Barba at Boston University. This course is one of several options of the Introduction to Engineering series (EK 131/132) at the College of Engineering. The course aims to motivate the subject of bio-inspired engineering, characterized by seeking examples […]