Insect concept mod
From Mod Mania
Insect Concept mod
`Insects steeled for battle of the bots`, The Age, 6 May
This article written in the age, dated 6/5/08, `Insects steeled for battle of the bots`, is a report on the ultra modern technology now being created by countries, defence forces and universities. American universities are undertaking studies and prototyping to create a series of robotic bugs that can be used to help defence forces and rescue teams perform specialist tasks. The robots have the ability to capture video footage, use sensors and the ability to seek out types of weapons and explosives.
I found that this topic was related to our mod mania class and the modding community in general because the use of the concept and shape of certain insects has been taken and transformed into the robots. The concept and structure that the insects have has been modded into anther product. Although these carbon fibre robots are totally man made and have extremely important uses and do not have any natural components, they look and act just like real insects. This is where the modding has taken place.
The American Universities have used the extremely complex yet useful structure and actions of well known insects to create robotic mechanisms to aid in missions where it may be otherwise unsafe to undertake by soldiers. Spiders, dragonflies and the common house fly have all been made into prototypes that act just as the real insect. The size ratio against the real insect is accurate and therefore these insects are extremely small and can be easily camouflaged in dangerous missions. The article explains that a blow fly prototype has been created that weighs around 28 grams and has a wingspan of 30 millimetres. These carbon wings flap at 110 beats per minute. This realism in the robots creates an extremely effective product.
When I think about it, these modded insects seem perfect for the basis of the structure of these robots. The insects move and work in ways that suit perfectly for their uses. These insects have evolved over time and have refined their movements and actions to work well in nature. You couldn’t design a new robot that walks better than a spider or flies better than a fly, so why not modify these insects into a robot and use what nature has given us to create a tool for defence. This is an extremely new and high end form of modding technology.
Certain concepts form other areas in society could be taken made into something completely man made to serve a purpose. For example the pace at which cheetahs run is amazing. I f a piece of machinery needed to be move quickly mechanical devices copying the structure of the cheetah could be used. It seems endless, what we can do in this ever changing technological world.
