Scientists took cues from helicopter seeds to invent tiny microchips that float on wind
(2021/09/24)
- Reference: 1632500947
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/09/24/microfliers_helicopter_seeds/
- Source link:
Video As autumn arrives in the northern hemisphere, scientists have shown how tiny connected semiconductors can be distributed on the wind in a similar way to the seasonal spreading of airborne seeds.
Researchers led by Professor John Rogers of the US's Northwestern University designed printed circuits able to manifest rotational behaviours, as seen in helicopter and spinner seeds, that enhance the stability and flying behaviour.
In a [1]paper published in Nature this week , they argue that simple electronics can be integrated into the designs, with one example containing a circuit to detect airborne particles.
[2]
In simulations and wind tunnel experiments, the researchers examined how aerodynamics are affected by changing design parameters such as the diameter, structure, and wing type of the flyers ranging from the microscale, below 1mm, to the macroscale, above 1 mm.
[3]
[4]
[5]Youtube Video
The researchers claim to have demonstrated a range of 3D spinning seed-like devices which can house active electronics and sensors that could be used for environmental monitoring.
[6]
Speaking to The Register , Rogers said the greatest opportunities for applications are likely to be detecting airborne pollution, ground-water contamination and agricultural agents, for example. Tracking pathogens and the spread of diseases – where large-scale, distributed arrays of miniature sensors would be useful – might also be possible.
"We are working to incorporate more sophisticated sensors, with a focus on biological pathogens, particulate pollution and heavy metal contamination of groundwater," he said. "The main pitfall is the passive nature of the dispersal scheme – the corresponding advantage is in cost and simplicity compared to systems that might incorporate flapping wings for instance."
[7]
A collection of 3D microfliers
Many might think that freely distributing more micro-electronics into a world already suffering from plastics pollution might be a bad idea. But Rogers said the team had already produced environmentally degradable versions of the devices "as a way to address this very important issue."
[8]Good news: Japanese boffins 3D print what looks like marbled Wagyu beef. Bad news: It's tiny and inedible
[9]Think you can solve the UK's electric vehicle charging point puzzle? The Ordnance Survey wants to hear about it
[10]A new island has popped up off the coast of Japan thanks to an underwater volcano
[11]Dog eats UK government's Hydrogen Strategy homework just as summer recess arrives
The flyers might cost anything between 1 and 20 cents, depending on the payload, he said.
In an accompanying article, Elizabeth Farrell Helbling, assistant professor at Cornell University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said: "These devices could form dynamic sensor networks for environmental monitoring, wireless communication nodes or various other technologies based on the network of Internet-connected devices called the Internet of Things."
While more work needs to be done to understand how the flyers would behave in the wind and to explore alternatives based on parachute and glider-type flyers, she said: "As a roboticist focusing on the development of autonomous insect-scale systems, I am excited about the questions posed by the authors' microscale robotics technology." ®
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[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03847-y
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
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[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6gB1hKjDys
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/09/23/microfliers.jpg
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/27/3d_printing_wagyu/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/26/ordnance_survey_electric_vehicles/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/17/japan_volcanic_island/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/21/uk_hydrogen_strategy_delayed/
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Researchers led by Professor John Rogers of the US's Northwestern University designed printed circuits able to manifest rotational behaviours, as seen in helicopter and spinner seeds, that enhance the stability and flying behaviour.
In a [1]paper published in Nature this week , they argue that simple electronics can be integrated into the designs, with one example containing a circuit to detect airborne particles.
[2]
In simulations and wind tunnel experiments, the researchers examined how aerodynamics are affected by changing design parameters such as the diameter, structure, and wing type of the flyers ranging from the microscale, below 1mm, to the macroscale, above 1 mm.
[3]
[4]
[5]Youtube Video
The researchers claim to have demonstrated a range of 3D spinning seed-like devices which can house active electronics and sensors that could be used for environmental monitoring.
[6]
Speaking to The Register , Rogers said the greatest opportunities for applications are likely to be detecting airborne pollution, ground-water contamination and agricultural agents, for example. Tracking pathogens and the spread of diseases – where large-scale, distributed arrays of miniature sensors would be useful – might also be possible.
"We are working to incorporate more sophisticated sensors, with a focus on biological pathogens, particulate pollution and heavy metal contamination of groundwater," he said. "The main pitfall is the passive nature of the dispersal scheme – the corresponding advantage is in cost and simplicity compared to systems that might incorporate flapping wings for instance."
[7]
A collection of 3D microfliers
Many might think that freely distributing more micro-electronics into a world already suffering from plastics pollution might be a bad idea. But Rogers said the team had already produced environmentally degradable versions of the devices "as a way to address this very important issue."
[8]Good news: Japanese boffins 3D print what looks like marbled Wagyu beef. Bad news: It's tiny and inedible
[9]Think you can solve the UK's electric vehicle charging point puzzle? The Ordnance Survey wants to hear about it
[10]A new island has popped up off the coast of Japan thanks to an underwater volcano
[11]Dog eats UK government's Hydrogen Strategy homework just as summer recess arrives
The flyers might cost anything between 1 and 20 cents, depending on the payload, he said.
In an accompanying article, Elizabeth Farrell Helbling, assistant professor at Cornell University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said: "These devices could form dynamic sensor networks for environmental monitoring, wireless communication nodes or various other technologies based on the network of Internet-connected devices called the Internet of Things."
While more work needs to be done to understand how the flyers would behave in the wind and to explore alternatives based on parachute and glider-type flyers, she said: "As a roboticist focusing on the development of autonomous insect-scale systems, I am excited about the questions posed by the authors' microscale robotics technology." ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03847-y
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6gB1hKjDys
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YU5KqQD4PDe4HPugaDC0eQAAAJY&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/09/23/microfliers.jpg
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/27/3d_printing_wagyu/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/26/ordnance_survey_electric_vehicles/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/17/japan_volcanic_island/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/21/uk_hydrogen_strategy_delayed/
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Doctor Syntax
Scattering e-waste over the countryside.
As if e-waste wasn't a big enough problem ...
Draco
It's one thing for e-waste to be fairly chunky stuff you can see, but when it's sand grain sized (after the "environmentally friendly" bio-degradation of the dispersal substrate) it's going to be getting into a lot of stuff - with all its attendant unforeseen consequences.
I'm all for gathering better data and, perhaps, there are use cases for something like this, but ... you'd have to make a good case why more macro-level monitoring devices are insufficient.
Odd that El Reg omitted, from the article, the most Orwellian use mentioned in the video (about the 1 minute mark): population surveillance .
Aren't semiconductors supposed to have toxic chemicals in them. I know phosphorous and boron are common doping agents. I recall arsenic being another - but, maybe that's been phased out in more modern chippery. The prospect of arsenic laced grains of sand being strewn far and wide doesn't seem well thought out.
ravenviz
This is not a good idea.
Just because it's biodegradable doesn't make it not pollution.
Paper is also biodegradable, but if someone threw up a cloud of little bits of paper that landed all over my house or property, I'd still be ticked off. What about poisoning or other environmental effects? What if it poisons wildlife that eats it, or maybe it's fine, but makes them fill up on stuff that gives them no nutrition like when people feed bread to ducks?
All in all, this seems like a bad idea where they're not really thinking of the consequences.