What can bees teach us about artificial intelligence? Quite a bit, according to University of Maryland researchers developing the next generation of autonomous robots.
Yiannis Aloimonos, a professor of computer science with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS), recently shared how insects are shaping the future of miniature drones in an interview with CGTN America.
By studying how bees and other insects navigate, communicate and move through complex environments, researchers are designing drones that can fly more efficiently and adapt to challenging real-world conditions. The work draws on millions of years of evolution to solve modern engineering problems.
Potential applications range from agriculture to emergency response. Insect-inspired drones could one day help pollinate crops, monitor greenhouses and inspect infrastructure. They could also assist first responders by navigating collapsed buildings or other hazardous environments during search-and-rescue operations.
The team is also developing AI systems that stabilize cameras on insect-inspired flying robots, allowing them to collect clearer visual information while in flight. Improving how these drones perceive and respond to their surroundings could make them more effective in environments where traditional aircraft struggle.
For Aloimonos and his collaborators, insects provide an efficient model for building smarter, more capable autonomous systems that could expand the role of AI-powered robotics in everyday life.