There is a tremendous amount of electromagnetic energy coming off of high-tension power lines. Generally this energy is not good for very much in that form, but for a very small lightweight MAV Micro-mechanical Autonomous Vehicle it is perfect. Using ultra thin wings and tiny polymer muscles to flap those wings it will be a perfect scenario for flying such a unit without its own power. It will use the leakage of energy from the power lines and the energy that these long lines pickup from the atmosphere. I propose we use some of the small MAV simulated mechanical bugs as our model. At the University of California at Berkeley, gentleman named Ron Fearing has designed such a flying bug. In my proposal I wish to use his design with a polymer muscle to flap the wings and that the wings pick up the energy leakage as it flies thru the electro-magnetic energy. As the wing goes thru the air it will pick up the static electricity until it sparks. Similar to when you drag our feet against the carpet. Once it is built up it will spark and move the polymer muscle and then flap the material memory wings and like a rubber band the wings will flap back. Thus you have propulsion. In Ron Ferrings and in Alan H. Epstein, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) models the units look like bugs and even have GPS navigation and molecular electronics. Imagine thousands of these acting as one like a swarm of killer bees attacking their prey? Can you imagine the face on your enemy when thousands of mechanical bugs chase them down? Think on it. |
