Robotic insects could revolutionise pollination

Pic/MIT

MIT researchers have developed highly agile robotic insects that could transform artificial pollination, enabling fruit and vegetable farming inside multilevel warehouses. Inspired by real pollinators like bees, these revamped bots can hover for 1,000 seconds - 100 times longer than previous versions - and perform acrobatic manoeuvres such as double aerial flips.

The robots, weighing less than a paperclip, feature a new wing design that improves endurance and flight precision. Lead researcher Kevin Chen calls the innovation a major step toward assisted pollination, though robotic insects still lag behind their natural counterparts in control and efficiency.

Aluminium-ion battery: safer way to store energy

Researchers have developed a long-lasting, cost-effective aluminium-ion (Al-ion) battery that could enhance renewable energy storage. The new design, reported in ACS Central Science, replaces the traditional liquid aluminium chloride electrolyte with a solid-state alternative using an inert aluminium fluoride salt. This innovation improves conductivity, reduces corrosion, and enhances stability. The battery withstands high temperatures and physical stress.