Communications of the ACM
Drone Can Transform into a Tiny Car to Slide nder Small Gaps
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have developed a shape-shifting drone that flies, and can transform into a car once it touches down.
Credit: David Zarrouk/Ben-Gurion University
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have developed a shape-shifting drone that flies, and can transform into a car once it touches down.
The FSTAR drone can move through a variety of surfaces and environments, making it a potentially useful tool in search and rescue missions.
FSTAR is equipped with a wheel and a propeller on each of its four legs. The system flies as a quadcopter, and when it lands and receives the command to transform into a car, a motor on the drone's body pulls the legs from a horizontal position to vertical so the wheels touch the ground.
The researchers plan to add GPS and artificial intelligence to the drone, to allow it to navigate autonomously and decide when it needs to change shape.
From New Scientist
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Abstracts Copyright © 2019 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA
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