PigeonBot: Stanford university scientists build 'winged robot' to fly like an actual bird

In a bid to make aviation as smooth as the flight of birds, Stanford University researchers have recently achieved success with their new 'PigeonBot', according to international news reports. The PigeonBot which resembles close to the actual pigeon reportedly boasts the unique qualities of feathered flight. The study which uses Velcro-type material to resemble the tiny microstructures on the feathers has been published in the journal Science.

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Study on PigeonBot

Explaining the features of PigeonBot, Mechanical engineering professor David Lentink said that a group of students designed different parts of the robot, in an interview with Science Robotics. He said that one student - Amanda Stowers studied the wrist and finger motion of the robot, another student -Laura Matloff studied how the feathers moved in response to its bone movement and the movement of the feathers. The third student - Eric Chang reportedly designed the actual robot.

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How does PigeonBot function?

After studying 40 pigeon feathers, the team has designed the winged robot which used its “wrist” when the wing was partly retracted, and “fingers” when extended, to control flight, minimizing the mechanism required. Moreover, the team has used velcro-like microstructures to emulate the feathered wings of the bird, smoothening the flight. The team has designed the model to enable smooth operations for drones and smaller aircraft.

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Future scope of PigeonBot

The team is reportedly currently observing other birds find newer techniques that can be imbibed in their model. Letink has revealed that the team aims to build a tail for PigeonBot to match the wings. Moreover, they are also working on a new bio-inspired robot inspired by falcons which may have legs and claws, according to reports.

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