A lab focused on learning how to design a glider from examples in nature, flying geckos, locusts, crickets, flying squirrels, gliding fish, to name a few. Combining the gliding with hopping mechanism, the robots can simulate short distance grasshopper 'flights', and creates a self-deploying glider.
Link:
Biomimetic Jumping Microglider
Also:
Big Brother is Watching. Harvard lab creates life sized robotic fly.
(credits to Jung-koo)
Some ants do not even need wings or wing-like appendages to glide:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.canopyants.com/video1.html