Chiba University researcher Hiroshi Ryu has unveiled what may be the first of a new wave of rescue robots. Dubbed the Hummingbird Robot, the tiny robot features four wings that flap 30 times per second, a miniature motor, and is controlled via infrared sensors.

The mechanism was developed by Ryu at a cost of around 200 million yen (2.1 million dollars). The researcher hopes to have the robot used as a rescue device by mounting mini-cameras to the unit sometime around 2011.

Via Physorg