'Built to Bounce Back': Collision-tolerant drone developed for search and rescue operations
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When disasters happen, search and rescue teams use advanced technology to help them find people in need. Drones can be beneficial, but they often break when they bump into things in damaged areas.
Wenlong Zhang, a robotics expert at Arizona State University, says that's a big problem, but thankfully, that's about to change.
A team of robotics researchers from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University has designed and tested a quadrotor drone with a unique feature: an inflatable frame that allows the drone to cope with collisions. Talk about designing for resilience.
The drone's frame is soft, resilient, and tunable, which means it can be adjusted to absorb and recover from unexpected taps and thumps. This makes it possible for the drone to recover from collisions that would otherwise cause rigid-frame drones to crash. Its ability to withstand knocks and jolts is a game-changer in search and rescue operations, where it's crucial to assess the damage from high up and navigate through inaccessible spaces.
Wenlong Zhang, an associate professor and robotics expert who led the research team, said that drones need to physically interact with their surroundings to accomplish a range of tasks. He added that a soft body absorbs impact forces to provide collision resilience and offers the material compliance necessary for dynamic maneuvers such as perching.
This innovation, dubbed 'Built to Bounce Back', holds the potential to transform industries that rely on the use of drones, from disaster relief to package delivery.
Experts in robotics have lauded this breakthrough, not only for its potential to save countless hours of maintenance and repair costs, but also for its implications in enhancing the safety and efficiency of drone operations.
In addition to its practical applications, the development of this collision-tolerant drone also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of embracing challenges and setbacks. The resilience exhibited by this drone is a prime example of how perseverance and innovative thinking can lead to remarkable advancements in technology.
Expanding capabilities
The results of the team's work are published in the technology journal Soft Robotics, and offer hope for the use of drones in search and rescue operations in the future.
With this new technology, drones can now play a vital role in assessing damage and locating survivors in disaster situations, making the work of first responders much easier and more efficient.
As the 'Built to Bounce Back' drone propels the world of robotics into a new era, one can only imagine the myriad of ways in which this technology will reshape our daily lives. From efficient deliveries to safer search-and-rescue missions, the possibilities are endless, and the future of drones appears to be taking flight in a truly inspiring direction.
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