Invented 'flying fish' robot for environmental research

Engineers at the Imperial College London (UK) have invented a small "flying fish" robot that can use water to create gas and launch itself from the water surface.

According to research results published in Science Robotics on September 12, the robot can launch from the water and fly 26 meters in the air. Robots can be used to collect water samples in dangerous and obstructed environments, such as in the case of floods or when monitoring ocean pollution.

Small-sized "flying fish" robots can use water to create gas and launch themselves from the water surface.(Photo: newatlas.com).

The only moving part of a robot is a small pump that can take water from environments like in lakes or oceans. This unit contains 0.2 grams of calcium carbide powder (calcium carbide) in the combustion chamber. Water and powders combine to create combustible acetylene gas, which, when burned, pushes the water out into a beam strong enough to lift the robot out of the water.

This 160-gram robot can generate a force 25 times its own weight, so it can overcome waves in extreme conditions. In addition, this robot can jump several times after filling the water tank, allowing it to sample water at multiple points without recharging.

Raphael Zufferey, of the Royal University of London, said: "These low-power, lanyard robots can be really useful in environments that require a lot of time and resources to monitor. that includes post-disaster areas like floods or nuclear incidents. "

The team is currently testing robots in a series of missions, such as monitoring the waters around coral reefs and offshore energy sources.