Machines Like Us

These engineers have mastered the art of miniaturizing; they've invented a new way to make small joints and craft tiny but durable wings for the next generation of robots--those that can fit in the palm of a hand, with features as small as one micrometer long.

Wood hopes that these low-cost, agile flying robots will revolutionize rescue operations, for example by flying into a collapsed building in search of survivors. Wood's creation is the first man-made machine the size of a normal fly to take flight on its own. But making small and lightweight robots is no easy feat, even with nature as a guide. An article in the March issue of IEEE Spectrum shows how Wood is training his fly to flap and maneuver just like a real fly.

IEEE Spectrum Magazine