Housefly inspired flying machines a.k.a Biomimetics- Part 2

The MFI-insect tries to emulate its biological counterparts through an unconventional approach not followed with other robots of its class ( The MFI-insect is classified as a robot due to the design principles being undertaken ,which are more suitable for robots than aircraft in general)


1) Power Source : Bimorph piezoelectric actuator (mass 11 mg) develops 400 W/kg at 250 Hz.
2) Wings : Carbon fiber reinforced wing has mass less than 0.3 milligrams, and inertia of 10 mg-   mm^2.


The MFI project in UC-Berkeley is a highly unconventional one.... You may wonder why a housefly-mimicking robot may be needed , but in case you did`nt know ; this project is being funded by the DARPA.


We really do not know for sure what the MFI developers have in mind, but possible applications, may include:


1) Spying/Surveillance : The obvious. the MFI can penetrate areas where conventional intelligence gathering techniques dont work much. Imagine sending these "flies" into crevices, cracks and into closed rooms where potential adversaries might be communicating.... This cute lil` thing can record or play you live streaming audio/video. Easy , isn`t it? All that the "adversaries" might be able to see is a couple of innocent looking flies in search of food.............All the while you are seeing them on your laptop as a live feed... ;-)


2) Instrumentation,Research : The usual science thing... small, highly mobile devices are greatly sought after in scientific research and the MFI is no exception. Using the right kind of on-board sensors and instruments , the MFI can sense minute changes in temperature,pressure, air quality etc., especially so in hazardous/poisonous environments where people can`t work in.


But again, System integration of these  measuring devices with the core flight components of the MFI can prove to be a challenge.Also, these instruments must be able to be accurate even in the presence of a constant vibration from the MFI "wings", which flutter at a remarkable frequency to stay airborne.
Nevertheless, things will hopefully materialize in the future.


3) Combat/Attack Scenarios : Okay, so much for the R & D part , but this may look right out of a Hollywood movie... In due course of time the meek looking MFI can be used for actual attack capabilities. Its real power though, lies not in the firepower but in its ability to stay undetected.


I vaguely remember reading somewhere that these kind of robots might as well be equipped with a payload of deadly poison in small quantities... Imitating the sting of a mosquito on the skin of the target, the payload is released in the bloodstream.A perfect recipe for taking the life outta someone without him actually knowing what happened.


This may look far fetched to some, but to me ; its a very distinct possibility . Advances in microelectronics  have rendered this more plausible than ever before.




The bottom line :


All said and done, the reality is a bit more rudimentary. In my opinion, the greatest challenge lies in developing a superior, lightweight, stable and rugged control mechanism for this kind of a robot. Remember how difficult it is to catch a fly? To mimick this feat of the fly, the MFI needs some really fast data processing units and tight sensor integration ,if it were to achieve superior mobility. 


Hereon, the MFI project becomes more of a software challenge , rather than a hardware one. If this were to be addressed satisfactorily, things could get pretty interesting.

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Aircraft flying for 5 years without refuelling - The DARPA way

Some time back I had watched a documentary by National Geographic " America`s Secret Weapons", which essentially featured DARPA in seemingly insane , but credible pursuits...robots attached to soldiers, diving speed enhancing equipment, and RPG ( Rocket Propelled Grenades) avoidance system for Humvees etc.
 But of the many futuristic projects DARPA is engaged in, the one which caught my eye was that of designing and flying aircraft that could stay aloft in the sky for  5 Years !!!
Now, the project has come to fruit, if Boeing`s latest contract with DARPA for $89 million is anything to go by. Named as "Project Vulture" the aircraft will be a solar powered , flying in the stratosphere.The electricity stored by the fuel cells will power the electric motors for the propellers and the systems.DARPA believes that the Vulture will combine positive aspects of both satellites and aircraft in providing a strategic advantage to the operator, also in terms of the cost involved.
As always, there is room for skepticism as to its efficacy. If the Vulture is to derive solar power, it would have to  fly constantly over the clouds , facing the sun. The "Zephyr" was a predecessor , which used solar power to fly non stop 2 weeks. Herein lies the catch :  Zephyr flew in Arizona, which is just about 30 degrees above the equator.The solar power is much higher in the equator and tropics compared to the northern and southern latitudes. Otherwise the accompanying loss of solar power would easily ground the aircraft in these regions and other wintry areas. If the Vulture is to overcome this, it would require truly phenomenal fuel cell conversion efficiencies than those available today, which stands at about 35-40 %.

                                                        The Zephyr`s Flight
But there is sense in the US Military`s requirements, most of which would be in the arid ,sunny  regions of the middle east and Asia; where the Vulture can perform well in spite of the current constraints.The present contract to Boeing would initially fly a prototype non stop for 30 days, for testing . But the project duration stumps me..... would DARPA do a test to actually check if the thing can stay aloft and kiss the skies for 5 years?Even if these geniuses do pull it off, It would be a tragic comedy if it fails after .. say.. 3 or 3.5 years in perpetual flight.
So the next question... test it AGAIN?Or better still , the easier option- change the program objectives to suit a 3 year flight.....
Now THAT.. is food for thought :-).

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