Tiny Robots Take Wing

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Flies are some of the most agile and maneuverable creatures on Earth. While some technologies like airplanes and helicopters mimic the motions of flies, researchers have met significant challenges in scaling these devices down to smaller and smaller sizes. In the 3 May issue of Science, Ma et al. a new class of insect-sized robot that maneuvers like flies with the help of piezoelectric muscles and rotating joints. Watch the video to learn more about how this tiny, 80-milligram robotic fly operates.