To achieve that goal, the team took a lesson from the world of insects they are trying to explore. “The flies are using 10 to 20 percent of their energy at rest just to feed their brains, most of which is devoted to visual processing,” said study co-author Sawyer Fuller. “To help reduce cost, some flies have a small, high-resolution region of their compound eyes. They turn their heads to go where they want to see more clearly, like chasing prey or a partner. This saves power by having high resolution across your entire field of view. “
Similarly, the backpack camera uses an ultra-low-power black-and-white camera that travels up to 60 degrees through a mechanical arm. The arm bends when voltage is applied, and can remain in the new position for about a minute before returning to its original place. That in turn provides “a wide-angle view of what is happening without consuming a large amount of energy,” said co-author Vikram Iyer. Plus, an accelerometer ensures it only records when beetles move, allowing it to run for up to six hours on a charge.
The researchers also used the technology to develop what they called “the world’s smallest” autonomous energy ground robot with wireless vision. It uses vibrations to move and consumes about the same amount of electricity as a low-power Bluetooth radio. To avoid Shaking from the camera, they designed the robot to stop before capturing an image.
The investigation did not harm the insects and lived “at least a full year” after it was completed, the team said. Now, they hope to use the backpack to learn more about them.
“There are so many questions you could explore, such as how does the beetle respond to the different stimuli it sees in the environment?” Iyer said. “But also, insects can traverse rocky environments, which is really difficult for robots. This scale. Therefore, this system can also help us by allowing us to see or collect samples from difficult-to-navigate spaces.”
