AI for Good 94d ago

Flapping-wing flight at the insect scale is incredibly challenging. Insect muscles not only power flight but also absorb in-flight collisional impact, making these tiny flyers simultaneously agile and robust. In contrast, existing aerial robots have not demonstrated these properties. Rigid robots are fragile against collisions, while soft-driven systems suffer limited speed, precision, and controllability. This talk presents an effort to develop a new class of bio-inspired micro-flyers powered by high-bandwidth soft actuators and equipped with rigid appendages. It introduces the first heavier-than-air aerial robot powered by soft artificial muscles, demonstrating a 1000-second hovering flight and acrobatic maneuvers such as body saccade and continuous somersault. It then describes a learning-based flight controller that achieves insect-level flight agility and robustness, opening opportunities for future applications such as search-and-rescue and assisted agriculture. The presentation also covers recent progress in incorporating onboard sensors, electronics, and batteries. Speakers: Yufeng (Kevin) Chen Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Moderators: Guillem Martínez Roura AI and Robotics Programme Officer, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) AI for Good is identifying innovative AI applications, building skills and standards, and advancing partnerships to solve global challenges. AI for Good is organized by ITU in partnership with over 50 UN partners and co-convened with the Government of Switzerland. Join the Neural Network! 👉https://aiforgood.itu.int/neural-network/ The AI for Good networking community platform powered by AI. Designed to help users build connections with innovators and experts, link innovative ideas with social impact opportunities, and bring the community together to solve global challenges using AI. 🔴 Watch the latest #AIforGood videos! https://www.youtube.com/c/AIforGood/videos 📩 Stay updated and join our weekly AI for Good newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gI2kJ5 🗞Check out the latest AI for Good news: https://aiforgood.itu.int/newsroom/ 📱Explore the AI for Good blog: https://aiforgood.itu.int/ai-for-good-blog/ 🌎 Connect on our social media: Website: https://aiforgood.itu.int/ X: https://twitter.com/AIforGood LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/26511907 LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8567748 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiforgood Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AIforGood Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the panelists and do not reflect the official policy of the ITU.