Scientists working to create tiny spy bat for the Army

The University of Michigan has received a $10 million, five-year grant from the Army to develop a miniature spy bat complete with cameras, radar, recharging capability, a self-guidance system, and a radio to send surveillance data.

Scientists will try to shrink current electronics down to allow the bat to be six inches in length, weigh four ounces, and use only one watt of power. They will attempt to create a navigation system 1,000 times smaller and 1,000 times more energy efficient than today’s systems, and a communications system that’s one-tenth of today’s size.

Energy will be stored in a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged by solar and wind power, as well as through random vibrations. The researchers will try to develop quantum dot solar cells to help power the bat, generating double the energy of today’s solar cells.

The bat will be able to run surveillance ops and relay data back in realtime. The info it will gather includes images from minicams, sounds from mini-microphones, and radiation and poison gas readings.

This is a very ambitious project, but accomplishing any of the goals the Army has set would mean huge improvements over today’s technologies in that area. Were this bat to come alive, it will surely be an amazing sight to behold.

The project also has implications outside of military applications. All of this new, miniature technology will undoubtedly be used in other products, hopefully coming to the consumer market. We’re excited to see what the scientists will be able to accomplish.

[via Gizmodo]