Harvard's Robobees http://robobees.seas.harvard.edu/ From the site... ----- INSPIRED by the biology of a bee and the insect’s hive behavior ... we aim to push advances in miniature robotics and the design of compact high-energy power sources; spur innovations in ultra-low-power computing and electronic “smart” sensors; and refine coordination algorithms to manage multiple, independent machines. Practical Applications Coordinated agile robotic insects can be used for a variety of purposes including: * autonomously pollinating a field of crops; * search and rescue (e.g., in the aftermath of a natural disaster); * hazardous environment exploration; * military surveillance; * high resolution weather and climate mapping; and * traffic monitoring. These are the ubiquitous applications typically invoked in the development of autonomous robots. However, in mimicking the physical and behavioral robustness of insect groups by coordinating large numbers of small, agile robots, we will be able to accomplish such tasks faster, more reliably, and more efficiently. -----