Engineers are using a giant six-legged robotic fly to developing quicker AI-powered machines.<br /><br />The bug-like robot mimics fruit flies - the most commonly studied insect in biology - in a bid to improve machine learning.<br /><br />Scientists hope to shed light on how insects sense forces in their limbs while walking in order to help create more mobile robots.<br /><br />The Drosophibot prototype opens the door to developing quicker-moving AI (artificial intelligence) machines for industry, researchers said.<br /><br />It may also lead to more agile drones for a host of uses - ranging from quickly surveying a disaster area to delivering packages more efficiently to customers.<br /><br />When humans run, their legs exhibit minimal contact with the ground. Six-legged insects, however, run fastest when using a three-legged, or 'tripod' gait.<br /><br />Force receptors in their limbs known as campaniform sensilla (CS) respond to stress and strain - providing important information for controlling locomotion.<br /><br />In humans and other mammals organs in the tendon do a similar job - relaying information about force levels to the central nervous system.<br /><br />Lead author, Dr Nicholas Szczecinski, of West Virginia University, said: "I study the role of force sensors in walking insects because these sensors are critical for successful locomotion.<br /><br />"The feedback they provide is critical for proper posture and co-ordination."<br /><br />When not airborne flies have a tripod gait with three legs on the ground at all times – two on one side of their body and one on the other.<br /><br />Engineers have long believed copying it would make six-legged robots move fastest.<br /><br />Robots can model friction between moving parts and the inclusion of delays to send neural signals better than computer simulations.<br /><br />The limbs also have the advantage of being able to record the sending and receiving of every single signal and resulting mechanical actions, which is not possible with animals.<br /><br />Dr Szczecinski added: "Walking is an inherently mechanical task, so understanding the neural control of walking requires simultaneously investigating mechanics and neural control.<br /><br />"Properly functioning walking robots can serve as prototypes for machines that could help people farm in extreme terrains, explore other planets, or walk through forests to monitor their health."<br /><br />Drosophibot has anatomical aspects not present in other, similar bio-robots including a retractable abdominal segment.<br /><br />It also has insect-like dynamic scaling and compliant feet segments to capture a complete picture of how campaniform sensilla monitors forces while walking.<br /><br />The US team also use a single robotic leg which allows for a simplified simulation of the sensory experience while walking.<br /><br />Dr Szczecinski also explores the role of CS in real insects by isolating their limbs and monitoring sensory pathways with electrodes when different forces are applied. <br /><br />These recorded sensory signals are then used to develop models for the robotic legs.<br /><br />Dr Szczecinski said: "By recording their response
