These winged microchips are the smallest structures ever created by man | Gadget theory
Scientists have now developed a tiny winged microchip that is smaller than an ant’s head, which is the smallest flying structure ever created by humans. It’s an incredible feat of engineering, but the researchers behind the Northwestern University project are hoping that it means these structures can be used as air pollution monitors and airborne disease detectors in the future. Of course, there are concerns that they could be used for surveillance and mass data collection. The design of microdevices These tiny micro-devices fly through the air using a design inspired by airborne seeds that move in the wind. The researchers used various wind tunnel experiments and simulations to test different shapes. Some designs were inspired by dandelions, helicopters and spinners like the Empress Tree. Ultimately, the winning design ended up having a three-wing structure that is similar to the tristellateia seed. Researchers even say it can glide even better than airborne seeds, wh...