Robot insect paves the way for robotic pollination of crops

Robot insect paves the way for robotic pollination of crops
Revenge of the machines (Image via Byte for Bite)

“MIT researchers have developed a robot insect designed for artificial pollination, laying the groundwork for entirely indoor farms of the future,” reports The Debrief:

The robot’s lifelike flapping wings imitate nature, enabling the tiny aerial robot to weigh under a gram. The agile and resilient new model represents a significant advancement in small-scale robotics.

The envisioned indoor farm would grow fruits and vegetables inside a multilevel warehouse, maximizing yield per acre while minimizing environmental impacts through a controlled, closed-loop system.

Under these conditions, robot insects would reside in mechanical hives and be deployed in swarms for synchronized pollination missions. However, robotic insects currently in development still fall short of matching natural bees in speed, maneuverability, and endurance….

The new robotic insect is lightweight yet highly maneuverable, capable of performing advanced movements like double flips while maintaining its durability. At less than the weight of a paper clip, the robot is built to minimize stress on its delicate wings while maximizing precision and agility.

Japan is turning to robots to care for its elderly as its birth rate shrinks. Robots with artificial intelligence are spreading on Japanese farms and robots are being used as waiters in restaurants in Korea.

Scientists have also developed tiny robots made of human cells to repair damaged cells. Nanorobots are also being used to fight cancer: “In a major advancement in nanomedicine, Arizona State University scientists…have successfully programmed nanorobots to shrink tumors by cutting off their blood supply.”

Robot taxis are transporting thousands of passengers every day in the United States.

Chick-fil-A is using lemon-squeezing robots to save thousands of hours of labor per day. Robots are in other restaurant chains, too, such as the salad-making robot used by the Sweetgreen restaurant chain and the guacamole-making robots used by Chipotle.

In California, the minimum wage for fast-food workers was recently raised to $20 per hour, which led to a loss of about 10,000 jobs and the planned elimination of another 1,300 jobs. “El Pollo Loco and Jack in the Box announced that they will speed up the use of robotics, including robots that make salsa and cook fried foods,” reported the Hoover Institution.

Hans Bader

Hans Bader

Hans Bader practices law in Washington, D.C. After studying economics and history at the University of Virginia and law at Harvard, he practiced civil-rights, international-trade, and constitutional law. He also once worked in the Education Department. Hans writes for CNSNews.com and has appeared on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal.” Contact him at hfb138@yahoo.com

Comments

For your convenience, you may leave commments below using Disqus. If Disqus is not appearing for you, please disable AdBlock to leave a comment.