Page 43 - cosmos4

 The RoboBee represents a platform where the forces it experiences are

different than what we at human scale do.
 Its tiny polymer wings which are designed to mimic real

insect wings are powered by small ceramic muscles that
convert electrical pulses into kinetic energy, making the
RoboBee the world’s smallest flapping wing aircraft.
1
 The tiny robot uses piezoelectric actuators, which are made out of strips of
ceramic that expand and contract when an electric field is applied.
 To achieve lift-off from the surface into the air, the RoboBee uses a small

2
electrolytic plate that converts water into oxyhydrogen, a combustible fuel.

 Piezoelectric actuator used in RoboBee (ref 1)

Electrolytic plate that converts water into

oxyhydrogen (ref 2) 

Uses:

These flying microbots like RoboBee will play a highly
beneficial role in agriculture, search and rescue
missions, surveillance and climate monitoring. For
example, the technologies developed to manufacture
such RoboBee could be used in the medical field to
make small surgical devices for endoscopic
(procedure used in medicine to look inside the body)
procedures. As our food production needs increase
and the bee population potentially decreases, RoboBees are designed to be used by

farmers to boost pollination and crop yields. They can also help increase genetic
diversity and improve the quality of crops.