Our latest paper has been published in npj Robotics.

Associate Professor Terutsuki, in collaboration with Associate Professor Toshiyuki Nakata and Mr. Chihiro Fukui from Chiba University, along with their research team, have successfully developed an innovative bio-hybrid drone. This advanced system integrates robotic components with odor-detecting antennae from silkworm moths, offering significant potential for use in regions vulnerable to natural disasters, such as earthquakes, for rescue operations. The research findings were published in npj Robotics, part of the Nature Partner Journals, on Feb. 5, 2025.

Advanced odor-detecting bio-hybrid drone by integrating biological odor sensors with robots.


Advanced bio-hybrid drone featuring silkworm moth antenna and integrated sensor enclosure.


Flight trajectory of the advanced bio-hybrid drone using the three-stepped rotation algorithm.

Title: Advanced bio-hybrid drone for superior odor-source localization: high-precision and extended-range detection capabilities
Authors: Chihiro Fukui†, Tomoya Uchida†, Sakito Koizumi, Yuta Murayama, Hao Liu, Toshiyuki Nakata*, Daigo Terutsuki*
† These authors contributed equally to this work
* Authors for correspondence
Journal: npj Robotics (Nature Portfolio)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44182-025-00020-9
URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44182-025-00020-9