Could These Agile Robotic Insects Replace Bees In Pollination?

MIT researchers have developed advanced robotic insects, paving the way for efficient artificial pollination and revolutionizing indoor farming.

These tiny aerial robots, inspired by natural pollinators, promise to boost crop yields in multilevel warehouses while reducing agriculture’s environmental impact, as detailed yesterday in MIT’s announcement.

The revamped design enables the robots to hover for over 1,000 seconds—more than 100 times longer than earlier versions—and execute complex maneuvers such as double flips. Weighing less than a paperclip, the robots are faster and more agile, with enhanced flight precision and durability.

Kevin Chen, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at MIT, described the breakthrough as transformative for the field. “With the improved lifespan and precision of this robot, we are getting closer to some very exciting applications, like assisted pollination,” he said, as reported in the announcement.

The new design eliminates inefficiencies in previous models, which featured eight wings that interfered with each other during flight. The current iteration has four wings arranged to optimize lift and stability, freeing up space for potential integration of sensors or batteries.

Additionally, researchers developed advanced transmissions and extended wing hinges to reduce mechanical stress, enhancing endurance and power.

These innovations allow the robots to generate three times more control torque than before, enabling sophisticated flight patterns, such as tracing the letters “M-I-T” mid-air. The robots achieved a record speed of 35 centimeters per second and demonstrated precise trajectory tracking.

Despite these advancements, Chen acknowledged the gap between robotic and natural pollinators. Bees, with just two wings and finely tuned muscles, still outperform their mechanical counterparts in control and efficiency.

“The wings of bees are finely controlled by a very sophisticated set of muscles. That level of fine-tuning is something that truly intrigues us, but we have not yet been able to replicate,” Chen noted.

The robots’ motion is powered by artificial muscles made from elastomer and carbon nanotube electrodes, which generate the force to flap their wings. Researchers overcame challenges in fabricating precise wing hinges, achieving alignment through a meticulous laser-cutting process.

Looking ahead, the team plans to extend flight durations beyond 10,000 seconds and improve precision for tasks like landing on flowers. Integrating batteries, sensors, and computing capabilities will be a central focus over the next few years, enabling the robots to navigate and pollinate autonomously outside the lab.

The study, led by Chen and EECS graduate students Suhan Kim, Yi-Hsuan Hsiao, Zhijian Ren, and visiting student Jiashu Huang, was published in Science Robotics.