By From InpaperMagazine Mory Gharib
Drone flies and drives with mid-air transformation
www.huffingtonpost.com, www.upi.com, www.apnews.com
Caltech engineers have developed ATMO (Aerially Transforming Morphobot), a drone that can switch from flying to driving mode mid-air — a breakthrough in robotics and aerospace.
Created by Mory Gharib and Ioannis Mandralis, ATMO uses a single motor to pivot its four thrusters, allowing seamless transformation before landing. The thruster shrouds double as wheels, enabling ground mobility.
Inspired by animals’ adaptive movement, the team faced challenges related to aerodynamic forces and instability during morphing. Smoke tests and custom algorithms helped refine the control system, which Mandralis calls the drone’s biggest innovation.
Though still a prototype, ATMO’s smooth mid-air transition could pave the way for more autonomous and versatile aerial-ground vehicles.
15 sets of twins graduate from same high school
Graduation at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kenne