The Buzzing Consequences of Microplastic Pollution

By Kaylen Maat, Bridget Walicki, and Molly Witkop

[1]

In today's day and age, the world is filled with an alarming amount of pollutants. While most people are aware of major issues such as global warming and climate change, some tend to forget about the ‘smaller’ problems such as microplastics. When you hear the words plastic pollution, you may think of turtles dying from plastic filling their guts; however, you may not think of these plastics harming little bees. Microplastics can be everywhere from beauty products to the innermost systems of honey bees. Microplastics, or plastic pollutants smaller than five millimeters, infiltrate our environment by breaking off of larger plastics. The overall high use of plastic has led to an abundance of these particles in the environment. Sea turtles and other aquatic life are not the only ones harmed by the amount of microplastics circulating. Recently, a study in China was released that showed the impact of these microplastics on honey bees and their overall health. 

The article “Microscopic Polystyrene Ingestion Promotes the Susceptibility of Honeybee to Viral Infection” by Deng et. al., dives into the consequences of microplastics, and how exposure made honey bees more susceptible to viral infections. The researchers suggest that the bees might ingest microplastics by consuming nectar, pollen, or water that is contaminated, as well as through its adhesion to their body hairs. The scientists then studied the bees to see if and how the plastics move throughout their guts into their tissues. This is significant to study as it impacts overall honey bee health. Humans are inherently invested in honey bee health because they are vital pollinators that keep the ecosystem going and also help produce the products that humans profit from.

The researchers conducted their experiment through a study where they used two types of honey bees: Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. For each species, three colonies were randomly selected from the provinces of Beijing, Jilin, and Henan where the experiment was conducted. Researchers then collected 50 bees from the three colonies and tested for microplastics, where they found around 20 different types. After identifying the different types of microplastics using a search algorithm and database, the researchers chose Polystyrene, a common microplastic used in packaging materials and disposable products, as the focus of their study.

[2] top, [3] bottom

Furthering their research, 30 bees were transferred into a separate colony, starved for two hours, then given a 50% sugar solution mixed with varying strengths of Polystyrene each day.  The bees were then injected with synthetic RNA to promote the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus, a viral infection common to bees, to help investigate the hypothesis that Polystyrene ingestion made honey bees more prone to infection. The scientists then observed the mortality rate while maintaining a control group. The researchers then proceeded to investigate the dead honey bees, dissecting the tissues of 5 bees from each group, every 7 days throughout a 21-day process. During this time, the researchers dissected and examined the microplastic effects on multiple internal organs. 

[4]

[5]

Once the experiments concluded, the results were startling: honey bees that ingested Polystyrene were not only more susceptible to viral infections but also exhibited a decrease in overall health. Throughout the experiment, there were multiple microplastics present. These plastic polymers were detected in 66.7% of bee samples with varying amounts ranging from 1 to 2 per 0.5g honey bee samples. The most common color of plastic item found within the honey bees was transparent. 

Over the 14 days of the exposure treatment, the survival rate of honey bees was significantly lower than that in the control group. The honey bees within the Polystyrene group with the virus had a significantly higher death rate than those with just the virus. Additional findings suggested that after interactions with Polystyrene and the virus, honey bees experienced a decrease in flight ability and other natural behaviors. Further results showed that Polystyrene significantly induced visible body color changes and hair fall after exposure to 0.5 and 5μm. Among the researchers' final results was that interactions between Polystyrene and honey bees can lead to accumulation in the bees’ body and across the gut into other tissues, thus resulting in the honey bees becoming more vulnerable to infections.

Given that microplastic debris is highly mobile, the potential risks to and impacts on honey bees and the environment can be severe. The microplastics in honey bees can have negative implications for agricultural sustainability as honey bees are major representatives of pollinators. As these pollutants accumulate, they can transfer into honey bees and bee products, such as honey, beebread, and beeswax, to be potential indicators of the presence of contaminants in the environment.

Understanding the connection between microplastics and bee health is crucial in mitigating human activities' impact on the environment. The article “Microscopic Polystyrene Ingestion Promotes the Susceptibility of Honeybee to Viral Infection” demonstrated how the presence of microplastics leads to increased vulnerability to viral infections for honey bees, which causes a higher mortality rate. These tiny plastics may be small in size but are mighty with the amount of damage they can inflict on the environment.

Further Reading

Deng, Yanchun; Jiang, Xuejian; Zhao, Hongxia, et al. “Microplastic Polystyrene Ingestion Promotes the Susceptibility of Honeybee to Viral Infection.” Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 55, no. 17, Sept. 2021, pp. 11680–92. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c01619.

Chen, Yan Ping; Pettis, Jeffery S.; Corona, Miguel, et al. “Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Implications for Honey Bee Health.” PLOS Pathogens, vol. 10, no. 7, July 2014, p. e1004261. PLoS Journals, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1004261. 

Media Credits

1. Photo taken by Bridget Walicki

2. Photo of drawing by Bridget Walicki

3. Photo of drawing by Molly Witkop 

4. Photo of drawing by Molly Witkop

5. Photo of drawing by Bridget Walicki 

Shedding Some Light on the Dark Web

by Katherine Enright, Sophia Hall, and Karla Rigan

Scientists gather information on the human fear of bugs 

[1]

YELP! A spider is found sharing your shower or lodging in the corner of your room!

Do you… 

1. Leave him be, mi casa is tu casa. Maybe ask him for help with the rent. 

2. Call your brave friend to bring him out of the room 

3. Take matters into your own hands and grab your least favorite shoe

 

Here’s this itty-bitty creature that we are so much bigger than, yet you’re screaming in the shower. Have you ever heard someone say, that spider is more afraid of you than you are of it? Whether you're the brave one or the scaredy cat, this fear of insects is so prevalent in our lives and can cause us to shake in our boots, even though most insects are harmless. Let's talk about that.

 

Back in the dawn of time, our human ancestors had to have a healthy fear of creatures that posed a threat to their life. This is a tough task, but our cool human brains have great responses of fear and disgust to stay away from things that are going to kill us. Our ancestors did a good job at this avoidance behavior; hence we are still alive. But I'm sure there were some close calls, like a caveman toddler coming home with a black widow as a pet. For the most part, however, if a human back then had a fear of insects, they were most likely to survive due to natural selection. Only the ‘fittest’ (especially when it comes to knowing which bugs are dangerous) survived. These days, however, humans seem to have a fear of insects that really hurts more than it helps. A lot of people have an irrational fear of insects, which is called a phobia. We scream or hide or kill insects that really can’t do us any harm. 

[2]

Researchers at the Faculty of Science at Charles University and the Czech Republic National Institute for Mental Health were particularly interested in this irrational fear that humans have of bugs, especially when that fear is only directed at spiders, which is called arachnophobia.  Because who isn’t afraid of spiders? In this study, these researchers were thinking that maybe it’s our caveman ancestors, and their healthy fear of bugs that are at the root of the irrational fear of spiders.

 

Spiders and insects belong to the category of invertebrate animals called arthropods. Spiders differ from other arthropods such as ants because they have no antennae, two body segments instead of three, and special mouthparts. Because of these differences, they are considered to be chelicerates, a subdivision of arthropods. This group includes daddy long legs, ticks, spiders, and scorpions. So, our researchers thought it’s important that scorpions are in the same group as spiders. Scorpions, unlike spiders, are very dangerous to humans because their stings can kill you. Our researchers thought that maybe throughout time, humans have grouped spiders and scorpions together in our minds, so the irrational fear of spiders comes from the rational fear of scorpions.

Although this is really hard to prove, our researchers thought they could test whether it was a plausible hypothesis.  To test this out they had people rate different arthropods of scales of fear, disgust, and beauty. They hypothesized that all chelicerates, including spiders and scorpions, would rate closest together on the fear and disgust scales, and also higher than all the other arthropods. They also figured that the bigger the arthropod was, the higher it would rate on the fear and disgust scales. They wanted to prove that the more dangerous an arthropod looks, (hefty or like a scorpion), the more fear and disgust it will elicit. 

Our researchers selected different arthropod species to be the stimuli, or the objects they wanted the participants to react to. They chose these arthropods based on the size, whether they looked dangerous, whether they were dangerous, and the creature’s natural habitat. There was a lot of variety in the chosen arthropods, and they ended up working with 62 species from eight different arthropod groups. Next, they brought in 329 adults, both male and female and asked them to rate each arthropod on scales of fear, and beauty. On a scale of one to ten, how scary is this spider, scorpion, cockroach, etc.? 

[3] Modified version of Figure 1 from Frynta et al. (2021)

(click on figure or link to left for clearer view)

 

The results were these...all chelicerates elicited the most emotion, meaning they scored highest on the fear and disgust scales. The bigger the arthropod, the higher it scored also. 

Whew! They found some truth in what they were looking for. People are really scared and disgusted by spiders and scorpions, more so than any other arthropod. Sorry cockroaches, try again next year at the costume contest.  This seems to point out that fear and disgust can be generalized. This arthropod and that arthropod look alike, if you fear one, you are going to be scared of the other. 

 

So, what does this mean? These researchers want to talk more about the possible shared origins of the fear of spiders and scorpions. Although they can’t prove it, there is something compelling about these details. 

 

So, the next time you scream when you see the spider sharing your shower, just relax and tell yourself it's probably just your inner caveman, fighting for your life.

Further Reading

Frynta, Daniel, et al. “Emotions Triggered by Live Arthropods Shed Light on Spider Phobia.” Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1, Nov. 2021, p. 22268. www.nature.com, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-01325-z.

Media Cited

[1, 2] Drawings by authors

[3] Modified version of Figure 1 from Frynta et al. (2021) Scientific Reports. License: CC BY 4.0

The Rats Are Going To Love This Announcement, And We Will Too!

By Grace Bennett, Eliza Grimm, and Natalie Moore

While most people recognize that a bee’s stinger is an important defense mechanism for the bee, they don’t realize that the venom in a bee sting could be beneficial to humans in a medical setting due to its anti-inflammatory properties. While the general opinion of bees has grown increasingly positive in recent years, many people still fear getting stung by them. On the flip side, bee venom has been used as a medicinal tool throughout history, with the first evidence of it dating back to ancient Greece and Egypt. Characterized by swelling and tenderness in joints, Arthritis is a chronic illness that can cause acute joint pain and affects people across the world. Gouty arthritis is an even more severe form of arthritis in which there is sudden severe swelling around the joints due to a build up in uric acid, which crystallizes around the joints and causes the breakdown of cartilage.

In 2021, a team of researchers from Kyung Hee University in Seoul, South Korea tested bee venom’s ability to treat gout in rats to see if bee venom could be a viable alternative to synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs such as NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.) and colchicine (an alternative treatment for gout in people unable to tolerate NSAIDs). Gout is a type of arthritis that causes redness, swelling, pain, and tenderness in one or more joints. While synthetic drugs treat inflammation from gout effectively, there are many negative side-effects associated with them which is why researchers want to find alternatives.

[1] Figure 1: shows the difference in lab rats ankles dependent upon injection with bee venom, colchicine, or nothing but MSU crystals

In their experiment, the researchers injected the ankles of adult male rats with MSU crystals to cause gout to develop. One group of rats were also injected with bee venom, another group was injected with colchicine, and the last group only received theMSU injection. They made observations hourly within the 24 hour period after the injections. First, they measured the circumference of the rats’ gouty ankles, and then they performed a von Frey test to measure the rats’ pain responses. In a von Frey test, researchers use tiny filaments to poke the hindpaws of rats and observe their responses to determine how much pain they are experiencing. When a rat shows no pain response, the researchers move on to a slightly thicker filament. The researchers then record the size of the filament that elicits a response.

When the researchers measured the rats’ ankles, they found that bee venom and colchicine treated rats showed a similar response. While the rats who were only injected with the MSU crystals continued to show a significant increase in swollenness after the first three hours, the swollenness of the bee venom and colchicine treated rats leveled off a little and started to decrease slightly after the six hour mark as shown in Figure 1.

[2] Figure 2: This graph shows the relationship between time after injection and the size of von Frey filaments that elicited a response from the rats.

The von Frey test also showed that bee venom was effective at treating the gout. The untreated rats had the most pain around the three hour mark, and after that it improved slightly before finally leveling off at the six hour mark. The colchicine treated rats showed a slight increase in pain at the three hour mark, had the most pain around the six hour mark, and went back to normal by the 24 hour mark. The entire time, their pain was significantly less than that of the untreated rats. Finally, the bee venom treated rats saw no increase in pain until the six hour mark, and went back to normal after the eight hour mark. The whole time, they had less pain than the colchicine treated rats, as seen in Figure 2.

These observations show that bee venom proved to be similarly effective to (or even more effective than) colchicine when it comes to treating inflammation from gout in rats. While this doesn’t prove that bee venom would be a viable treatment option for gout in humans, it does show promise. This can prove as an important scientific breakthrough for medical science and the eventual treatment of arthritis in humans. In the future, we may see more researchers conducting similar experiments in other mammals and eventually humans. In addition to the human benefit, the utilization of bee venom is beneficial to the bees themselves as it can encourage people to think about the many benefits provided by bees and thus further preservation of bee species worldwide. As proven by the Kyung Hee University researchers, this potential for partnership between bees and humans is a mutually beneficial relationship that can better the future of both man and insect.



Further Reading

Mayo Clinic . (2021). Arthritis - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350772

Goo, B., Lee, J., Park, C., Yune, T., & Park, Y. (2021). Bee venom alleviated edema and pain in monosodium urate crystals-induced gouty arthritis in rat by inhibiting inflammation. Toxins, 13(9), 661. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/13/9/661



Media Credits

[1] and [2] Figures from Goo et al. (2021) in Toxins CC BY 4.0 DEED.

Exploring the Buzz: Bee Venom Injections and Parkinson's Disease

By Emily Mikitka and Courtney Bean

Picture Parkinson's disease as a masterful puppeteer working discreetly behind the scenes of life's grand spectacle. The puppeteer's subtle influence, mirrored by the gradual depletion of dopamine-producing cells in the brain, results in a slow yet significant alteration in the rhythm and coordination of the body's movements. Similar to the graceful dance of a puppet, the nuances of everyday tasks transform into a formidable challenge for individuals contending with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide, impacting motor function and quality of life. The main symptoms of Parkinson's disease include tremors (uncontrollable shaking), bradykinesia (slowness of movement), rigidity (stiffness of the limbs and joints), and postural instability (difficulty maintaining balance). These symptoms typically develop gradually over a period of time and may vary in severity from person to person. In the search for innovative therapies, researchers are exploring unconventional avenues, including the potential benefits of bee venom. Bee venom is a complex mixture of proteins and peptides produced by bees, primarily used as a defense mechanism. Honeybees deploy this venom as a means of protection against predators. The bee venom is known to combat inflammation and potentially lessen the severity of painful symptoms. It’s often used in studies to treat nervous system disorders, like in this study, Parkinson’s Disease. Melittin is the predominant and biologically active component in bee venom. In a recent study, researchers delved into the effects of monthly bee venom injections on moderately affected Parkinson's disease patients. Andreas Hartman set out to find and determine whether 11 months of bee venom injections significantly improves patients’ symptoms, using scores on the United Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS).

[1] A bee on a flower

The study included 40 Parkinson's disease patients at Hoehn & Yahr stages 1.5 to 3, randomly assigned to either monthly bee venom injections or equivalent volumes of saline (placebo). A placebo is a fake treatment that is commonly used in studies like this when researchers are attempting to prove whether their hypothesis is correct, that their treatment (bee venom in this case) is actually having an impact on treatment in comparison to the fake placebo treatment. Each group was anonymous, not knowing which supplement they were receiving based on them being disguised in two of the same syringe. Secondary objectives included evaluating the evolution of UPDRS III scores over the study period and [123I]-FP-CIT scans to assess disease progression. Safety was also a priority, with monitoring for specific IgE against bee venom and skin tests when necessary. After 11 months of monthly administration, the study did not find a significant decrease in UPDRS III scores in the "off" condition for patients receiving bee venom injections. Additionally, there were no significant differences in UPDRS III scores over the study course or in nuclear imaging between the treatment and placebo groups. Four patients were excluded from the trial due to positive skin tests, but no systemic allergic reactions were recorded. Notably, specific IgE against bee venom, which initially increased, decreased in all patients who completed the trial. The study suggests that bee venom administration was safe in non-allergic subjects.

[2] USDA Photo

While this study did not reveal clear symptomatic or disease-modifying effects of monthly bee venom injections over an 11-month period compared to placebo, it lays the groundwork for further exploration. The safety of bee venom administration in non-allergic subjects is promising, and the study suggests that higher administration frequency and possibly higher individual doses of bee venom may be necessary to unveil its potency in treating Parkinson's disease. The therapy treatment time might also need to be lengthened to longer than just an 11 month process, in order for the bee venom to have a more impactful and lasting effect. Parkinson’s Disease treatment options have always been experimental in the hopes to find a more holistic way to treat this disease. This research contributes valuable insights to the growing body of knowledge surrounding unconventional therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. As we continue to explore the intricate relationship between bee venom and Parkinson's disease, future studies may refine protocols and administration frequencies to unlock the full therapeutic potential of this intriguing avenue. The journey towards innovative Parkinson's disease treatments is a complex one, but each study brings us one step closer to improving the lives of those affected by this challenging condition.


Further Reading:

DeMarco, S., & Profile., F. (n.d.). Musical Medicine for Parkinson’s Disease. Drug Discovery News. https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/musical-medicine-for-parkinson-s-disease-15805

Hartmann A, Müllner J, Meier N, Hesekamp H, van Meerbeeck P, Habert M-O, et al. (2016) Bee Venom for the Treatment of Parkinson Disease – A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial. PLoS ONE 11 (7): e0158235. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158235

Hoehn and Yahr Scale. Physiopedia. (n.d.). https://www.physio-pedia.com/Hoehn_and_Yahr_Scale.

Immunoglobulin E (IGE) defined. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. (n.d.). https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/allergy,-asthma-immunology-glossary/immunoglobulin-e-(ige)-defined.

MDS Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS). Parkinson’s UK. (2022, November 24). https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/professionals/resources/mds-unified-parkinsons-disease-rating-scale-mds-updrs.

Migrator. (n.d.). Bee Venom therapy: What it is, benefits, safety, Side Effects & Drug Interactions. healthday. https://www.healthday.com/a-to-z-health/alternative-medicine/bee-venom-therapy-647499.html

Professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.). Dopamine: What it is, Function & Symptoms. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine.

Professional, C. C. medical. (n.d.-b). Nuclear medicine imaging: What it is & how it’s done. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4902-nuclear-medicine-imaging.

WebMD. (n.d.-b). The placebo effect: What is it?. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-is-the-placebo-effect

 

Media Credits:

[1]: Photo by David Hoffman. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

[2]: Public domain image https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USDA_entomology_bee_inspection_(12813167043).jpg

Biomimicry in Action: How Hexabot Has Affected Robotic and Biological Innovation

 By Breana Harrington, Kennedy Brooks, Hayley Helt

[2]

Introduction

`When was the last time you used Velcro? Maybe you used it as an adhesive, or maybe when you were a small child you had yet to learn how to tie your shoes. Regardless, you have most likely used it in one way or another. Interestingly, this invention was not a product of the human mind alone. A Swiss engineer, George de Mestral, was walking with his dog one day in the mountains when he noticed how the seeds of a burdock plant adhered themselves to his sock. These seeds had hooks that fastened to the soft material of his sock. Thus, Velcro was born. As humans, we can refer to nature to help us answer our complex issues that we face, this is called biomimicry. In other words, human design imitating nature. Naturally, humans overcomplicate things that nature already has the answer to. In this report, the focus is placed on biomimicry for robot locomotion and how we can draw on ants in how they orient themselves as a natural example of how to navigate various types of terrain.

Major Research Question

In the article titled, “Hexabot: a small 3D-printed six-legged walking robot designed for desert ant-like navigation tasks”, the major question the researchers address is, what challenges and questions are associated with gait generation and leg control in hexapod (six-legged) walking robots, and how can these challenges be addressed for effective navigation in complex environments?

Background Information

In the past fifty years, six-legged walking robots, particularly Hexabot, have gained significant attention within the robotics community. Unlike wheeled robots, legged robots offer enhanced mobility and the ability to travel across uneven terrains without constraints. The locomotion mode of walking robots has become a well-explored solution for navigation challenges over varied terrains. Hexabot, is a 3D-printed, low-cost, and lightweight six-legged walking robot developed at LaBRI, serves as an open-source project. In this, the article highlights Hexabot's superior stability and orientation when walking on smooth, flat terrain. In this study, they analyzed the way in which hexapods, such as ants, move, including roll: the rotation around the front-to- back axis, pitch: rotation around the side-to-side axis, and yaw: rotation around the vertical axis. Notably, Hexabot's performance aligns closely with that of desert ants. The study concludes by outlining the visual cues required for achieving desert ant-like navigation tasks. The research questions presented are important for the future development of hexapod walking robots, as well as understanding the biomechanics of insects or other hexapod organisms. Addressing the challenges in gait generation and leg control not only contributes to the field of robotics but also provides insights into the biomechanics of natural hexapod locomotion. This approach may lead to more innovative solutions and a deeper understanding of robotics and biology.

What is a desert ant?

The Hexabot and other similar hexapoda biomimicry robots have been constructed to mimic that of a desert ant. The most well-known species of desert ant would be the Sahara desert ant who reside, you guessed it, in the Sahara Desert. Not only are they one of the world’s fastest ants, but they can withstand temperatures up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and their long legs help keep them above the sandy terrain.These ants have been at the forefront for 6-legged robotic biomimicry due to their unique foraging abilities in which they can travel up to 400 feet, then turn their bodies 180 degrees and consistently find their way back home.

Significance of Biomimicry for Locomotion

While the words surrounding this research may seem scary and like they require extensive knowledge of robotics to understand, the main ideas are quite simple when broken down, and interesting! Biomimicry in itself has led to numerous advances in robotics, specifically in the field of locomotion over the past two decades. This is so exciting as increasing innovation within biomimicry can lead to more stable performance of a robot when navigating unknown terrain and obstacles. In the bigger picture, biomimicry isn’t exclusive to just those interested in robotics, but can help make big strides in biology and environmental science studies. Through the use of the Hexabot carrying out homing and foraging techniques, researchers can get perspective of certain environmental situations that weren’t possible prior to biomimicry in locomotion.

Methods

Let's take a deeper look into the methods used when deciphering which mechanics worked well in regards to navigation and tripod gait. The first step in this study was to conduct geometric analysis in order to compare Hexabot and PhantomX (another six-legged robot) stability over flat terrain, and how the shape of a robot affects its locomotion. They also compared desert ant characteristics (speed and size) to the construction and movement of the robots. The geometric analysis displayed that the Hexabot was 10x the size of a desert ant (around 10cm) and the Phantom X being 20x larger (20 cm), in comparison to the itty bitty 10mm desert ant. Then they compared walking tests (diagram of method below) to test the roll, pitch, and yaw of the robots at three different speeds, in relation to that of an ant. 

[1] Methods diagram by Breana Harrington

Results

Before discussing results, it's important to note that robots operate on a tripod gait resulting in the yaw degrees being significantly higher than the robot’s roll and pitch. In terms of speed tests at speeds 50, 75, and 100% each robot had an advantage in respective areas. PhantomX produced roll and pitch similar to the ants and was able to hold this advantage with higher speeds and mimicked ants behavior closely. In comparison, Hexabot produced ant-like roll and pitch better when at walking speeds due to its lower weight and size. Robots with a hexagonal shape (similar to the Hexabot) displayed better overall performance in stability and body orientation. Obviously though for both robots a 6-legged approach with a tripod gait provides better performance in key tasks compared with a 4-legged model because tripod gait aids in foraging techniques and navigating terrain. The Hexabot was concluded to be a more reliable candidate for ant-like navigation over PhantomX due to its small size and custom sensory mechanisms to complete navigation tasks such as foraging and homing.

Implications

What does this mean for the future of biomimicry in robots and locomotion? Only the future will tell as technology advances every day. However, Hexabot is on the forefront of this technology and opening up doors for similar engineering efforts of biomimicry in robots. By discovering the abilities of a 6-legged robot and a hexagonal shape being perfect for mimicking the mechanics of hexapod insects on different types of terrain, the opportunities seem limitless. Only time will tell but this does provide expansive arenas for the future of robotics and new ways in which they can be used when mimicking the biological and evolutionary traits of insects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is much to learn from the natural world that we can apply in our rapidly modernizing world. The insights that the world of ants has to offer has led to impressive innovations in the fields of both biology and robotics. 

Further Reading

Dupeyroux, Julien, et al. "Hexabot: a small 3D-printed six-legged walking robot designed for desert ant-like navigation tasks.” IFAC World Congress 2017. 2017. https://amu.hal.science/hal-01643176/document 

Dupeyroux, Julien, Julien R. Serres, and Stéphane Viollet. "AntBot: A six-legged walking robot able to home like desert ants in outdoor environments.” Science Robotics 4.27 (2009): eaau0307. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aau0307 

Media Credits

[1] Photo by Katya. License: CC BY-SA 2.0

[2] Methods Illustration by Breana Harrington, based on information in Dupeyroux, Julien, et al. "Hexabot: a small 3D-printed six-legged walking robot designed for desert ant-like navigation tasks." IFAC World Congress 2017. 2017.