Welcome!

Hi all and welcome to the Current Topics in Biomimetics blog! The aim of this blog is to offer insight as well as discuss the most recent issues, discoveries, and breakthroughs in the field of biomimetics. For those who aren't familiar, "biomimetics" is a subgroup of the field of "bionics". Bionics can be broadly defined as the application of biological methods and systems that are found in nature to the study and design of engineering systems and modern technology. Biomimetics deals specifically with the chemical reactions of these natural systems. These chemical reactions usually refer to reactions that, in nature, involve biological macromolecules, like enzymes or nucleic acids, whose chemistry can be replicated using smaller, more manageable molecules in vitro. In the following posts, we will attempt to report on the most recent publications in biomimetics, offering "Layman's terms" summaries, as well as our own thoughts, opinions, and insights into a fascinating field with a relatively short, but very interesting history. Enjoy!

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Bee Inspired Robot



Nissan Press Release, September 26, 2008
Nissan Exhibits for CEATEC Japan
"Crash Avoidance Robotic Car inspired by Flight of the Bumblebee"

Nissan has partnered with the University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology to build a biomimetic accident-avoiding robot, the BR23C. This joint research studied a bee’s ability to avoid collisions. They found out that bees are capable of seeing more than 300-degrees, due to bee’s compound eyes, which allows them to steer clear of collisions and fly uninterrupted. In order to replicate the function of a bee’s compound eye, Nissan engineers thought to use a Laser Range Finder (LRF). “The LRF detects obstacles up to two meters away within a 180-degree radius in front of the BR23C, calculates the distance to them, and sends a signal to an on-board microprocessor, which is instantly translated into collision avoidance.” A bee will change direction if an obstacle enters its “safety zone”, likewise, the BR23C will react by turning its wheels at a 90-degree angle or greater to avoid the object. Nissan hopes that the BR23C will promote the progress of future collision-avoidance technologies.

The application of this safety feature in cars could drastically decrease automobile accident rates. With 4,563,000 automobile accidents per year requiring emergency department visits (CDC, 2000), there is a need for added safety amongst drivers. I particularly like the idea that Nissan is undergoing research to prevent automobile collisions altogether, rather than developing accident resilient vehicles. This novel technology is unique in the way that its avoidance maneuvering is completely instinctive. Thus, allowing it to respond fast enough to avoid accidents. However, I find the technology far removed from applying to cars that are on a highway going 80 mph. With the LRF only able to detect objects up to 2 meters away, it would be impossible to steer clear of an obstacle while on a highway. Also, a car’s maneuverability or handling would have to be remarkable in order to keep the car from flipping or skidding out of control. Though the BR23C is far from applying to real world applications, it is a great start to potentially collision free streets. It’s amazing to think that a simple bee could provide the basis for technology that could revolutionize the automobile industry.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)