Building Better Flapping Fliers
Friday, November 18, 2011 - 09:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Flapping mini-robots that can maneuver in tight spaces could be ideal for search-and-rescue operations - say, in collapsed buildings. However, current versions of such micro-air vehicles are "violently unstable," says fluid dynamicist Leif Ristroph of New York University. "Without some very good sensory feedback strategies, they quickly spin out of control and tumble from the air."
