Engineers have taken inspiration from an unlikely source to help tiny drones navigate difficult environments: animal whiskers.
Researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have developed lightweight artificial whiskers that allow small drones to physically sense objects and surfaces around them.
The technology is inspired by animals such as rats and mice, which use their whiskers to detect nearby objects and navigate when visibility is poor.
For drones, that could be especially useful in places where cameras and other sensors may struggle, including dark, smoky, dusty or confined environments.
The artificial whiskers can make contact with surrounding surfaces and provide the drone with information about nearby obstacles. Because the sensors are lightweight, they are particularly suited to small flying robots.
Researchers believe tactile sensing could eventually help drones operate more effectively in challenging environments, including search-and-rescue situations where visibility may be limited.
It’s another example of engineers looking to nature for solutions to modern technology — and this time, the inspiration comes from something as simple as a whisker.
Have you heard? Now even drones can have whiskers.