Inside The Hummingbird Lab

Riverside - The study of how hummingbirds fly is making big contributions to all kinds of projects... even in the military. Take a look at the Hummingbird Lab at UC Riverside and you'll see why.

Christina Gonzalez has the story in the video report.

Story Script:

THE UC RIVERSIDE LABORATORY OF BIOLOGIST DOUGLAS ALTSHULLER STUDIES EVERY ASPECT OF HUMMINGBIRD FLIGHT.

THE TINY BIRD IS THE ONLY VERTEBRATE THAT CAN SUSTAIN HOVERING MOTION.

DOUGLAS ALTSHULLER, BIOLOGIST
IT CAN SEEM A BIT BIZARRE THAT WE ARE DOING THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE THESE WEIRD GEEKS DOING WHAT WE DO, BUT THE THING IS, THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON.

THE NANO HUMMINGBIRD DRONE, BUILT BY AREOVIRONMENT IN MONROVIA, IS A PROJECT BEING WORKED ON WITH THE PENTAGON.

THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST RIGHT NOW IN DESIGNING ROBOTS THAT FLY -- NOT CONTROLLED BY A JOYSTICK -- BUT AUTONOMOUSLY.

THAT'S WHY ALTSHULLER MEASURES THE ELECTRICAL BRAIN SIGNALS THAT CONTROL
THE UNIQUELY PRECISE MOVEMENTS OF A HUMMINGBIRD.

HIS GOAL, NOT JUST TO REPLICATE THE FLIGHT, BUT THE ENTIRE MECHANISM BEHIND IT.

DOUGLAS ALTSHULLER, BIOLOGIST
WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE SOPHISTICATED... NOT JUST TRYING TO RECREATE THE WING MOTIONS, BUT IN SOME WAYS TRYING TO RECREATE THEIR BRAINS.

ALL OF THIS WITHOUT HURTING THE HUMMINGBIRDS.

THE PROFESSOR TELLS US THE BIRDS ARE CAPTURED FROM THE WILD AND KEPT FOR ONLY A FEW DAYS BEFORE BEING RELEASED BACK WHERE THEY WERE CAUGHT.

HE USES ONLY MALE HUMMINGBIRDS BECAUSE THEY DON'T RAISE THE YOUNG.

DOUGLAS ALTSHULLER, BIOLOGIST
WE KNOW WE ARE NOT IN ANY WAY HARMING ANY CARE OF A NEST....

AS FAR AS THEY'VE COME ALREADY, THE PEOPLE AT THE HUMMINGBIRD LAB SAY THEY HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

IT'S A SLOW PROCESS... REGARDLESS OF HOW FAST THE BIRDS THEMSELVES MOVE.