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一支来自康奈尔大学的机器人专家队伍用3D打印技术创造出了微型的机器飞虫。 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. 机器飞虫（被称为扑翼机）扑打的翅翼非常纤薄、轻质，却很牢固。传统上，这些翅翼的制造过程相当费时，需要不断地出错重试。然而，快速成形技术的迅猛发展大大提高了翅翼设计的可能性，完全能够复制真实昆虫的翅翼形状，事实上可以刻画任何形状。并且这一切只需几分钟就能完成。 Researchers have managed to create a ornithopter with 3-D-printed wings weighing just 3.89 grams that can hover untethered for 85 seconds. 研究人员试图创造一种仅重3.89g的3D打印的扑翼机机翼，它能够独立飞行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. 康奈尔大学的研究人员用了一台Eden260V 3D打印机来制造扑翼机。机翼是由碳纤维框架和包裹在外面的聚乙烯膜构成的。机器昆虫的“机身”被设计成能够搭载一台小型GM14引擎以及曲轴和铰链。机翼由连接着齿轮箱的机轴驱动。起初给扑翼机接上一个直流电源之后，他们发现这个装置的有效载荷为1.5g，这大概可以勉强提起飞行所需的电池。 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). 在用扑翼机进行独立飞行实验时，需要在它的上下各安一个帆来保持稳定。 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. 在康奈尔大学的工作是测试昆虫的推进力和可控性。研究人员将会测试不同的机翼角度对飞行的影响。如果一切顺利，这些原理能够作为扑翼机飞行控制的基础。换言之，我们可能即将看到一些相当酷的可操纵的机器昆虫。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. 在过去十年中，工程师们只能复制扑翼飞行。主要挑战就包括缺乏在理论上和实践中都可行的用于扑翼飞行器机翼设计的流体力学方案（大多数飞行器都被设计用于平稳飞行）。研究人员还需要一个成熟的方案来确保飞行器保持正直。他们还需解决电池的能量密度问题。
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