Dragonflies are popular in Asian art and have been a popular motif for centuries. They can be found in over 5,000 species and have been a source of inspiration for artists for centuries. During the 1860s, Japannism was a rage and the dragonfly design was adopted by the English and American countries. Tiffany & Company published a sterling silver Japonisme creamer in 1881 that features more than one thousand pieces, including many dragonfly designs.
The design of a dragonfly can be as beautiful as the bird itself. This little insect can also be incredibly detailed. In fact, dragonflies are surprisingly complex and intricate. A typical wing of a flying dragonfly has approximately 6,000 wings. This is one of the highest numbers of wing articulations. Moreover, a single wing can hold as much as 450 grams of gemstones, which makes dragonfly brooches particularly valuable.
These beautiful creatures have incredible abilities to detect and intercept moving objects. A 95% success rate at intercepting an object in midair is an amazing feat, even for the smallest flier. Its head gear contains neurons that map inputs and transmitters that transmit the vector map to its wing motors. In addition, a torso-motor complex is also remarkably intricate and can lock on to a target within the blink of an eye. These two papers show the increasing willingness of scientists and researchers to view organisms from an engineering perspective. This makes them an ideal model for designing the next generation of micro air vehicles.