Autonomous Robotic Insects

Guido de Croon is an engineer and Professor of Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) at TU Delft who combines computer vision and robotics to create the world’s smallest flapping wing autonomous flying robots.In this episode of Create the Future, we speak with Guido about the challenges of miniaturising insect-sized MAVs, and explore the role drones could play in the future of spaceflight, emergency rescue, and—considering the uncertain future of pollinators—precision horticulture. We delve into the world of vision based navigation and obstacle avoidance, discuss the challenges of swarm robotics, and contemplate what roboticists can learn from insect intelligence.To hear more about bio-inspired engineering innovations, check out our recent episode with biomimicry expert, Janine Benyus.New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcastsFollow @qeprize on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.