To design the winged robot, the researchers first used motion-capture video to examine how pigeons fold and flex their wings while flying. Based on the results, they determined it was possible to control 20 feathers on each wing of a robot—which they dubbed “PigeonBot”—via elastic bands connected to just two joints. They also used modern imaging technology to gain new insight into how microscopic structures temporarily hook many bird species’ feathers to one another during flight. PigeonBot needs real feathers to work, so researchers must still find ways to artificially reproduce feathers’ qualities to take the technology to the next level.
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
