Study uncovers how silkworm moth’s odor detection may improve robotics

Researchers explore how the domesticated flightless silkworm moth (Bombyx mori), a prominent insect model in olfactory research, uses wing flapping to manipulate airflow, enhancing their ability to detect distant pheromones. These findings highlight how moths guide pheromones to their odor sensors in antennae, and suggest potential applications for designing advanced robotic systems for odor source localization. This could inspire future innovations in drones and provide design guidelines for robots to locate odor sources.