Insect-size robots are breaking their tethers

Researchers have created the first flying wireless robotic insect. The news: Behold RoboFly, a laser-powered robot built by University of Washington researchers that weighs in at slightly more than a toothpick. Too small for propellers, this teensy-weensy bot takes off by rapidly flapping its wings. The challenge: Insect-bots require a relatively large amount of power to move their wings fast enough to take off. Batteries are too large and heavy to fly, so previous robots of this size had to be plugged in.