A lot of work has been done on creating tiny, insect-like flying robots. Some work has also been done on inserting electrodes into insects so that they can be stimulated to respond by, for example, flying. These projects are very sophisticated and involve a lot of advanced technology. My invention differs from these in both respects.

Moths are notorious for flying around lights. In actual fact, they think they are flying in a straight line by always keeping the moon on their left, but evolution has failed to equip them for proximal man-made light sources.

We should be able to exploit this evolutionary gaffe to create a bluetooth-operable moth with excellent dirigibility. All that is needed is:

(1) A large moth. Some of the hawkmoths would be adequate in temperate climates. In the tropics, all moths are apparently the size of dinner plates.

(2) A small (very small) bluetooth receiver, connected to a series of (also very small) LEDs held on two (again very small) wire frames

(3) A small tube of moth adhesive.

(4) For the kind-hearted, a tube of moth adhesive remover.

The moth is released into a dimly-lit room, and the pilot picks up the transmitter. By activating the appropriate LEDs to the left and right of the moth, it should be possible to steer it quite accurately. I'm not sure how the altitude is controlled, but one thing at a time.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 29 2013

I envisage a new parlour game. A large spider is kept inside a round frame. Once the web is spun, the front glass is removed and the bluetooth moth is directed into the web. Basically a game of darts. Players take turns guiding moths, by the rules of darts.
-- rcarty, Sep 29 2013


Expensive on moths, though.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 29 2013


//a small moth helmet// Our product development team is recruiting - they may be in touch.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 29 2013


I'm just curious who figured out the moon thing. It seem like in that case moth would tend to fly in u shapped patterns: south as the moon rises, west (when the moon is south/overhead in the norhter hemisphere), then north as it was setting. That would cause the moths never to return ot the same location and eventually all migrate to the west coast adn out over the ocean.

In any case, it seems like for fine stearing you actually just want one light on the left that moves slightly forward to turn right or slightly back to turn left. With an LED on each side, it will go straightish when the left LED is lit and go into a crazy spin when the right LED is lit as it tries to get the "moon" on the left hand side.
-- scad mientist, Oct 01 2013


// curious who figured out the moon thing...would cause the moths never to return ot the same location and eventually all migrate to the west//

In fact, it's a little more complex. Different moths behave differently, and at different times. What they are doing, in essence, is using the moon as a reference point to fly in a more-or-less straight line, since that gives them the best chance of finding a mate. Random flight would mean that they risked re-covering the same ground.

However, on any given flight, most moths try to keep the moon at a constant angle, relative to their direction of flight.

I don't know what happens if there's a bright light on each side. It's possible that the moth's head may explode.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Oct 04 2013



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