An interesting article here about the development of insect type flying machines, hoped to be used in further exploration of surface of Mars in 2007.  :)

http://enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/01/01242002/reu_46217.asp

 Tommy
:s03

[blue]That's really cool. What a great idea for exploration. There could be swarms of little NASA machines zipping hither and thither all over Mars with webcam linkups. lol. :s1


Maybe the Martians are about to get their own versions of 'flying rods'...
:sg
[/blue]

Hopefully those Martians wont get their fly swatters. NASA bugs are cool 8)

Thats really cool, can't wait to see what they come up with

They could also use that technology to spy on people.. I bet that they are already using it for that, or a similar technology.

But anyway, it sounds great to look around on mars like that.

Odin S.  :s9

Odie,
You're just paranoid. Government agencies don't spy...on...people...Dammit Odie! Now you have gotten me paranoid! >:(

Just because your paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get you :s01

First NASA should fix this little problem they've been having with conversion between Metric and US Standard. Then maybe they could have a sattelite orbit Mars without the fear of sudden impact.

Can you imagine a flying insect robot that has the wingtops covered in solar panels? As it is flying along gathering data it could recharge itself. Robot bugs that crawl, burrow or fly would be a major improvement over a wheeled rover, they could experience more of the planet without easily getting stuck on a rock.

We have a lot of potential robot builders just turn on robot wars, techno games and any other knock off show that uses robots for their main entertainment.

Well that was my 2 cents.

Here is a relating article on how close we are from using 'micro air vehicles'; in this case, through the study of butterflies.

That's amazing!
Plus the fact that they were able to train
the butterflies!
There really is a lot to learn from the animal world.

Butterflies are cool

They have been thinking of building giant robotic ants and other such creatures so they can be of use in exploring distant planets for some time now, as they would have greater travelling ease than things with wheels.