Robots are becoming more common in participation in society. But robots in nature? Robert Wood is a Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences in Cambridge. He and his team at Harvard University’s Microbiotics Lab are working on creating a tiny robotic insect, inspired by the biology of a bee, known as RoboBee. Researchers managed to built a small robot capable of moving, as well in the air as it can underwater, it can also land and take off again. The bot weights less than 200 milligrams, so it is about the same as a raindrop. It has artificial muscles, that enable beating the wings 120 times per second.
What is the goal of creating such a tiny robot?
The decline in global insects number is alarming. Scientists study estimated that about half a million species of insects face extinction, due to rising temperatures and pesticides. Bees are one of the most important insect for the nature, because they are responsible for pollination. If bees went extinct, it would destruct the ecosystem, because plants wouldn’t be capable to repopulate. The entire food chain would be disrupted, from herbivores to carnivores. Scientists believe that robobees could have many advantages and they could even be better than regular bees. Robobees won’t be limited to certain geographical regions or being affected by diseases. This could make them more reliable for certain tasks. Robobees can be also equipped with sensors and other technologies, such as cameras and sensors, that can be used to gather data and perform tasks that are difficult or impossible for natural bees to accomplish. Moreover, researchers believe, that this robotic insects will be useful in applications where nobody would like to put a human or an animal. They could also get into places that are difficult to reach even by other robots.
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Will nature accept it?
People can adjust to new conditions pretty fast, but we can’t say the same about the nature. Nature will quickly recognize the intruder and will want to get rid of him, and if not maybe it’s even worse. For instance what if animals that eat insects will eat a tiny robot, because it will not distinguish between a real bee and an artificial one? It may harm directly the animal, and the rest of the food chain.
Is it safe for humans?
Another worrying aspect might be a threat for humans. If this robot is so tiny it won’t be a problem to get to any place, including people house. In addiction if it will be equipped with cameras it can significantly violate someone’s privacy. Of course someone would have to program it before, but for me it sounds like possible threat.
Personally, I’m not very sympathetic to this idea. Interfering with nature with artificial intelligence can have detrimental effects on the entire planet. I am more in favor of artificial intelligence and humans trying to prevent the extinction of bees, rather than focusing on replacing them.
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That seems to be a high-risk high-reward project. However, as you mentioned, it is also really scary that such tiny robots would exist. People won’t feel so safe anymore even in their own houses. I also believe that it requires a lot of work to make a robobee that would be accepted by nature. It needs to look exactly the same, smell the same, and behave the same way as natural bees do. Therefore, there is a huge risk that such a project would harm strongly nature. As the author, I am against that project being introduced.
This is a really cool idea, since humanity is disturbing the natural balance in this way, this process can be significantly slowed down. I don’t know how it will affect the bees if the robots do their job, but if it’s absolutely necessary, then I think it’s a great solution.