Scientists have created the world's smallest flying machines to control the environment
An international team of scientists from China, South Korea and the United States announced that they have successfully created small microchips that can perform passive flight. They are no more than one millimeter in size, making them the smallest air vehicles in the world.
How new aircraft were created
Many inventions of scientists are based on observation of nature. This happened in this case as well. To create their own mini-flying devices, scientists decided to use the natural mechanism for the movement of seeds of a plant such as Tristellataea, belonging to the Malpighia family, in the air.
Scientists decided to make aircraft from polymers with shape memory, which they decided to attach to an elastomeric substrate. So, when the substrate enters a state of equilibrium, the workpiece shrinks and takes the desired shape.
This is how a microchip is obtained, consisting of wings and a functional element. In addition, the created aircraft can be additionally equipped with antennas for data transmission or pH sensors.
The tests of the created flying devices showed that due to the stable rotational motion, a significantly lower falling speed is provided than that of natural seeds.
Scientists also emphasize that their devices not only have wide functionality, but are also environmentally friendly. And all because the flying microchip is made of easily destructible materials.
The current version of the device is propelled by the force of the wind, but scientists are already working on a version in which a miniature engine will be installed.
What will such products be needed for?
So engineers believe that such flying microchips are quite suitable for monitoring the environment, tracking the development of man-made accidents, and tracking the population. And the most important thing is that you can communicate with the "flying" chips from a distance.
Well, let's see how the technology develops further.
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