Inspired by Rhinoceros Beetles, Scientists Develop New Flapping Microrobot

In recent years, researchers have developed several flying robots inspired by the wing motion mechanisms of flying animals (such as birds and bats).Researchers have always believed that insects (including beetles) actively extend and retract their wings through chest muscles, just like birds and bats.However, due to technological limitations, researchers have been unable to determine which muscles beetles actually use and how they achieve this process.

Recently, researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and Korea’s Kookmin University published a paper in the journal Nature, stating that they successfully developed a new type of flapping microrobot by studying the wing extension and retraction mechanisms of the rhinoceros beetle. This robot can passively extend and retract its wings without requiring a large number of actuators.

Inspired by Rhinoceros Beetles, Scientists Develop New Flapping Microrobot

Researchers stated: “The wings of the rhinoceros beetle fold up like origami, neatly stored beneath the hard elytra, and then passively unfold during flight. Previous studies have mostly focused on how to mimic the folding structure of beetle wings, neglecting the movement at the base of the wings.”

In preliminary studies, researchers observed that these insects can use their elytra and flapping force to passively extend their hind wings for flight. When their flight ends and they land on a surface, they also use their elytra to push their hind wings back to their bodies, with the entire process consuming no additional muscle energy.

Inspired by this, the research team developed a micro flying robot weighing only 18 grams, which is just twice the actual size of a rhinoceros beetle, capable of simulating the beetle’s passive wing extension and retraction mechanisms.

Unlike previous flying robots, researchers installed elastic tendons under the armpits of this robot, allowing it to passively retract its wings. When flapping its wings, it can passively unfold its wings to take off and maintain stable flight. By stopping the flapping after landing, the wings can quickly retract back to the body without additional driving mechanisms.

This robot’s miniaturized design allows it to fly into tight spaces and land or perch on any surface when it cannot fly, transitioning to other modes of movement such as crawling. In crawling mode, the robot tucks its wings alongside its body, reducing the risk of wing damage and enhancing maneuverability in narrow spaces. Once it finds a suitable takeoff point, the robot can re-extend its wings and resume flight.

This new type of microrobot has broad application prospects, capable of entering small spaces that humans cannot reach to perform search and rescue tasks; it can also serve as a tool for biologists to study insect flight mechanisms, and even for espionage activities. Furthermore, due to its low flapping frequency, this robot is very safe and can be used as a research tool or a children’s toy.

Researchers indicated that they will continue to explore other insects, such as flies, to see if they adopt similar passive strategies for wing movement under limited muscle resources. They also aim to improve the robot’s flight agility and develop its ground movement capabilities, such as perching and crawling, to simulate the behaviors of their biological counterparts.

Paper Information: Hoang-Vu Phan et al, Passive wing deployment and retraction in beetles and flapping microrobots, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07755-9

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