Important Innovations Collection

Using Artificial Intelligence to Track Your Feathered Friends                                                  Source: Bird Buddy Bird Buddy If you love to watch and feed birds, this new technology will enthrall you as it takes you into a new space of flight.  It's a smart bird feeder called Bird Buddy that through artificial intelligence and, a lot more technology, acquaints you with the species of birds coming into your feeder for a treat.  It recognizes more than 1,000 bird species including your favorite locals like Robins, Blue Jays and Chickadee's.  But, you also learn about migrating birds from faraway places who are making a stop at your smart feeder as they travel across oceans and visit your backyard.  It lets you know if your backyard is an international destination place.  You can even add a solar roof to pr...

Small, Bat Winged Dinosaur Source:  Chinese Academy of Science Evolution of Flight The Chinese Academy of Science just released their research findings on a fossil found by a farmer in remote China in 2017.  The fossil unearthed in good condition is that of a flying feathered dinosaur.  It's a Jurassic Period dinosaur called Ambopteryx. It's a little bigger than a blue jay and had bat-like wings. Researchers say the creature was short-lived.  But it shows a remarkable brief stage in the evolution of flying and the emergence of birds.  The image (above) is a 3D reconstruction of the fossil from the Chinese Academy of Science.  It's from nearly 200 million years ago and is awesome. Flying Dinosaurs  The flying dinosaur lived 163 million years ago.  It took flight with membranous wings composed of skin.  Researchers say this was a period of flight experimentation among dinosaurs.  They say it's similar to the development of new p...

Physicists Train Autonomous Gliders to Soar Like Eagles Source:  Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Photo Montage New Navigational Strategies for UAV's Physicists at the University of California San Diego are using reinforcement learning, a type of machine learning,  to train gliders to autonomously fly like birds.  Some birds like eagles and hawks soar rapidly to great heights with ease.  The gliders are being trained to do the same.  The scientists expect this approach of reinforcement learning - learning from performance and results - will lead to new artificial intelligence for UAV navigation. Riding the Wind Upward currents of warm air assist the birds' rapid, high ascents.  The scientists use reinforcement learning to train the gliders to autonomously ride "atmospheric thermals" or currents of warm air to soar as high as 2,300 feet.  The results provide a new navigational strategy for the development of UAV's, or unmanned aerial veh...

Greater Energy Efficiency Yale's Drone with Landing Gear Nature Inspired UAV Researchers at Yale University have developed a UAV that uses robotic talons inspired by birds.  The landing gear allows the drone to perch and rest in places that would normally be inaccessible.  The drone can attach to ledges and even hang upside down.  The landing gear allows the drone to rest and turn off its motor while still gathering information with its sensors and cameras. Purpose The purpose of the robotic talons is to enable the drone to conserve battery power and increase its energy efficiency.  A number of different talons can be attached to the bottom of the drone to land in different places and on different surfaces. Practical Applications The nature inspired talons give the drone far more access in the environment that it's working in and enable it to perform many more tasks.  The Yale team continues to develop the drone.  They are likely to empower it ...