नमस्कार दोस्तों, in this blog, I will tell you about an autonomous drone developed by a team of researchers from the University of Washington. This drone uses natural antennas of moth and follow the smell sensed by month's antennas towards target. That's why Smellicopter name is given to the drone by research team. We will know everything about Smellicopter: what is Smellicopter, about moths and their antennas, working of Smellicopter and its applications in the real world. Let's start with me.
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| Smellicopter |
What is Smellicopter ?
A team of researchers from the University of Washington has developed a drone that uses a live antenna of moth to navigate towards smells. The drone senses and avoid obstacles in its way towards target. Team of researchers give name to device "Smellicopter". Because its follow smell to reach target. Researchers attached two wings on smellicopter so that it can fly continuously. Researchers Team published a paper in journal IOP Bioinspiration & Biomimetics in October 2020. Most Artificial sensor are not so fast and sensitive, that's why team decided to use natural antenna of moth. According to research work in paper, moth antenna can convert chemical signature to electric impulses much faster and more effectively than artificial antenna. Also Natural antenna is low-cost and light-weight than artificial. It also doesn't require any energy to work. Researcher developed Smellicopter in assocaition with Air Force Center of Excellence on Nature Inspired Flight Technologies and Ideas (NIFTI).
Manduca Sexta
Team has used the natural antenna of Manduca Sexta moth in Smellicopter. Manduca Sexta is a moth present through much American Continent. Team has used manduca sexta's antennas in smellicopter. Before removing antennas from moth, researchers placed moth in refrigerator to anaesthetize them, then remove their antennas. This is the amazing natural power of antennas that antenna remains active upto four hours even after removal from a live moth and time can be extended if antennas stored in refrigerator.
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| Manduca Sexta |
How Smellicopter works ?
An autonomous drone that does not need instructions from human or any GPS system; but follow smell to reach the target. Team created a protocol called 'cast and surge' for drone that mimics how moths search for smells. First Smellicopter moves to left for specific a distance. If nothing passes a specific smell threshold , Smellicopter moves to right for the same distance. Once it finds an odour. It changes its flying pattern to surge towards it. Smellicopter can also avoid any obstacles if detected any on the way. If Smellicopter detects any obstacle within 20 centimeters radius, it changes direction. A team member Melanie Anderson stated, "if Smellicopter was casting left and there is an obstacle on the left, it will switch to casting right. And if Smellicopter smells an odour but there's an obstacle in front of it, it's going to continue casting left or right until it's able to surge forward when there's not an obstacle in its path".
Applications
Major advantage of Smellicopter is that Smellicopter can go places where people can not. It can reach in such areas that might be too dangerous like unstable region after natural disaster or any kind of blast. Smellicopter does not need any GPS system. It uses moth's antenna and a camera to survey their surroundings. Therefore, Smellicopter can be used for exploring indoor or underground spaces like mines or pipes.
This is the end of blog. Tell me in comment section what do you think about Smellicopter?
Thanking you
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