By Jonathan Kimak
Technology and insects seem to mesh very well. There are so many gadgets out there that either resemble a bug or behave like one. Now car manufacturer Nissan is using bees for inspiration.
The Nissan Bumblebee is also known as the Biomimetic Car Robot Drive, or BR23C. The bumblebee car simulates a bee’s compound eyes by using a Laser Range Finder(LRF) to detect obstacles up to 2 metres(6.6 feet) away within a 180-degree radius in front of it. The moment it detects an obstacle it reacts like a bee and turns away from the obstacle at right angles to avoid hitting anything.
Unlike a bee, it is restricted to 2-dimensional movement and cannot move up or down.
It is hoped that the Bumblebee car will allow Nissan to develop a fully functional collision avoidance system for cars. Their goal is to reduce the current amount of car crashes in half by 2015.