EPFL’s Puffin-Inspired Robot Can Fly & Swim

In the past few years, we have covered plenty of nature inspired robots that can swim or fly. Engineers at MIT and EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland have come up with a robot that can flap out of the water to fly and swim under the surface. It has a motor drive system that provides high frequencies for air and lower frequencies under water.

The wings have carbon structures and super hydrophobic coating to repel water. As the researchers explain, an exit angle of around 70 degrees make it possible for these robots to fly out of water. The above video shows this robot in action.

[HT]