Wings aren’t the only things that make birds so successful. If it weren’t for their feet, how would pelicans skimming the tips of waves be able to suddenly land on a pier piling, or owls grab a mouse at 64 kilometers per hour without missing a beat? Robot birds must be able to do the same—something that has been a challenge, until now.
In a new study, researchers analyzed the anatomy and behavior of a tiny American parrot called a parrotlet and peregrine falcons, two species known for their expert footwork. They then designed SNAG (the Stereotyped Nature-Inspired Aerial Grasper)—a pair of jointed legs attached to feet with jointed talons that automatically close around any object they encounter, be it a dowel, branch, or tennis ball.
Then the scientists took their contraption out into the real world. They attached SNAG to a drone with four propellers and flew it to branches of varying widths and angles. The robot safely landed and took off from all surfaces, the team reports today in Science Robotics. It even caught a tennis ball midflight.
Right now, a person controls the robot’s flight and landing sequence. But the researchers are working on making the machine fly on its own. Once that is accomplished, they expect the robot will be useful as an environmental sensor to monitor temperature and humidity. It would theoretically work longer than current drone-based sensors can because this one can still on a branch and “rest.”
About the author
