Category: IT|Sep 27, 2021 | Author: Admin

Flying chips smaller than grains of sand can monitor the atmosphere

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Flying chips smaller than grains of sand can monitor the atmosphere

Possibly the smallest airplane ever made

American scientists have created technology that is as if taken from science fiction: A flying microchip the size of a grain of sand; possibly the smallest airplane ever made.

 

The chips are designed to be carried by the wind and can have a variety of uses with an emphasis on monitoring the atmosphere.

 

An article published in the scientific journal Nature, documents research conducted at Northwest University in Washington, USA. The researchers say that the microchip is inspired by cotton and other plant seeds.

 

Has "beaten biology"

In the wild, this type of seed slowly falls down and rotates like a helicopter so that it is caught by the wind and spreads over great distances. Inspired by this biological mechanism, researchers created "structures that fall into more stable orbits at lower speeds than similar seeds."

 

Smaller, but more effective than a cotton seed
The research team believes they "beat the biology team" by replicating nature in a microchip that is significantly smaller than a cotton seed, but with more efficient aerodynamic physics.

 

The chips are designed to be carried by the wind and can, for example, track airborne diseases and monitor air pollution. Furthermore, the researchers have proposed to produce them from biodegradable materials to avoid environmental impact.

 

The video explains how the flying microchip works:

 

 

Flying microchips can be large enough to carry electronics, sensors and power supplies. The researchers tested versions with antennas for wireless communication with smartphones or the chips between them.

 

Still conceptual

The project is still at a conceptual stage and far from ready to be released into the atmosphere, but the researchers are working on prototypes and want to expand the application alternatives and expand the potential of this

technology.

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