Computer scientists from the University of Lincoln in the UK, have developed tiny low-cost autonomous robots named after a genus of butterfly called Colias.

In large numbers, the tiny robots have the ability to replicate collective behaviors of Honeybees.

They were built in collaboration with Chinese researchers from the Tsinghua University in China.

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Colias measures 1.6 inches in diameter and moves at a speed of 13.8 inches per second. It communicates with other robots using infrared sensors.

The robots use three sensors and an independent processor for its obstacle detection system.

The research investigates complex collective behaviors found in the natural world. It's a way to develop autonomous robots that can perform similar complex tasks.

Co-Creator of Colias Farshad Arvin said: "The platform must be able to imitate swarm behaviors found in nature, such as insects, birds and fish,"

"This concept allows for the coordination of simple physical robots in order to cooperatively perform tasks. The decentralized control of robotic swarms can be achieved by providing well-defined interaction rules for each individual robot."

Farshad Arvin continued: "Colias has been used in a bio-inspired scenario, showing that it is extremely responsive to being used to investigate collective behaviors."

"Our aim was to imitate the bio-inspired mechanisms of swarm robots and to enable all research groups, even with limited funding, to perform such research with real robots."

Current research uses simulation software to develop the swarming behavior, due to high cost and complexities of hardware platforms.

Colias cost only £25 (US$41).

TagsColias, University of Lincoln