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一支來自康奈爾大學的機器人專家隊伍用3D打印技術創造出了微型的機器飛蟲。 The flapping wings of the hovering robotic insects (known as ornithopters) are very thin, lightweight and yet strong. Traditionally, the manufacturing process for these wings is time-consuming and a case of trial and error. However, advances in rapid prototyping have greatly expanded the possibilities for wing design, allowing wing shapes to replicate those of real insects or virtually any other shape. Furthermore, this can be done in minutes. 機器飛蟲（被稱為撲翼機）撲打的翅翼非常纖薄、輕質，卻很牢固。傳統上，這些翅翼的制造過程相當費時，需要不斷地出錯重試。然而，快速成形技術的迅猛發展大大提高了翅翼設計的可能性，完全能夠復制真實昆蟲的翅翼形狀，事實上可以刻畫任何形狀。并且這一切只需幾分鐘就能完成。 Researchers have managed to create a ornithopter with 3-D-printed wings weighing just 3.89 grams that can hover untethered for 85 seconds. 研究人員試圖創造一種僅重3.89g的3D打印的撲翼機機翼，它能夠獨立飛行85秒。2
In order to create the ornithopters, the Cornell roboticists used an Objet EDEN260V 3-D printer. The wings are made of a polythene film stretched over a carbon fiber frame. The “fuselage” of the robotic insect was designed to hold a small GM14 motor, crank and wing hinge. The wings are driven by a crankshaft that is connected to a gearbox. Having initially connected the ornithopter using a DC power source, they realized that the device could lift 1.5 grams of payload, which was roughly the mass of the batteries required for flight. 康奈爾大學的研究人員用了一臺Eden260V 3D打印機來制造撲翼機。機翼是由碳纖維框架和包裹在外面的聚乙烯膜構成的。機器昆蟲的“機身”被設計成能夠搭載一臺小型GM14引擎以及曲軸和鉸鏈。機翼由連接著齒輪箱的機軸驅動。起初給撲翼機接上一個直流電源之后，他們發現這個裝置的有效載荷為1.5g，這大概可以勉強提起飛行所需的電池。 When they experimented with a free-flying ornithopter, they needed to introduce lightweight sails above and below the winged robot in order to maintain stability (see second part of the video above). 在用撲翼機進行獨立飛行實驗時，需要在它的上下各安一個帆來保持穩定。 The work at Cornell is testing hypotheses of insect propulsion and control. Researchers will test how different wing angles affect flight. If successful, these principles could form the basis of hovering ornithopter control. In other words, we could be seeing some seriously cool navigable robot insects. 在康奈爾大學的工作是測試昆蟲的推進力和可控性。研究人員將會測試不同的機翼角度對飛行的影響。如果一切順利，這些原理能夠作為撲翼機飛行控制的基礎。換言之，我們可能即將看到一些相當酷的可操縱的機器昆蟲。1
Engineers have only been able to replicate flapping wing flight in the last decade. Major challenges include the lack of any established body of theoretical and experimental work on the unsteady aerodynamics of flapping wing flight for the purpose of wing design (most aircraft are designed for smooth flight). Researchers also need a sophisticated solution to make sure the robot remains upright. And they must solve problems with the energy density of batteries. 在過去十年中，工程師們只能復制撲翼飛行。主要挑戰就包括缺乏在理論上和實踐中都可行的用于撲翼飛行器機翼設計的流體力學方案（大多數飛行器都被設計用于平穩飛行）。研究人員還需要一個成熟的方案來確保飛行器保持正直。他們還需解決電池的能量密度問題。
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