A team of engineers at Harvard University has been inspired by Nature to create the first robotic fly. The mechanical fly has become a platform for a series of new high-tech systems. Designed to do what a fly does naturally, the tiny machine is the size of a fat housefly. Its mini wings allow it to stay in the air and perform controlled flight tasks.

    “It's extremely important for us to think about this as a whole system and not just the sum of a bunch of individual components,” said Robert Wood, the Harvard engineering professor who has been working on the robotic fly project for over a decade. A few years ago, his team got the go-ahead to start piecing the components together. “The added difficulty with a project like this is that actually none of those components are off the shelf and so we have to develop them all on our own,” he said.

    They engineered a series of systems to start and drive the robotic fly. “The seemingly simple system which just moves the wings has a number of interdependencies on the individual components, each of which individually has to perform well, and then has to be matched well to everything it's connected to,” said Wood. The flight device was built into a set of power, computation, sensing and control systems. Wood says the success of the project proves that the flying robot with these tiny components can be built and manufactured.

    Wood says the design offers a new way to study flight mechanics and control at insect-scale. Yet, the power, sensing and computation technologies on board could have much broader applications. “You can start thinking about using them to answer open scientific questions, you know, to study biology in ways that would be difficult with the animals, but using these robots instead,” he said. “So there are a lot of technologies and open interesting scientific questions that are really what drives us on a day to day basis.”

    Have you heard about "Survival Holidays"? It is for children to go into the lonely place for exciting activities. Now about 1,100 companies are allowed to take children into the great outdoors without their parents.

    The reason why people like "Survival Holidays" is that they think being close to nature is good for children. Many children in big cities spend all time watching TV and playing computer games. "Survival Holidays" gives them an important change.

    Is "Survival Holidays" a wonderful idea? Maybe it is. Children need more free time to play. They need to be left on their own, without adults disturbing (干扰) them. Parents care too much about their children. They like to see the children being busy with activities that are controlled (控制) by adults, which causes many problems. Children don't know what to do when they are in danger. Even something like crossing a small river seems to be a hard challenge. Children are not comfortable with danger. Even slight danger like getting their feet wet or falling down seems very terrible to them.

    Many people think the survival activities are good for children. Even years later, they will still remember what they have learned. Some have learned to stay calm in dangerous times. Some have learned how to keep safe. Others have learned how to work in a team. All these skills will help them a lot in their lives.

Metro Pocket Guide

    Metrorail (地铁)

    Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and go out. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer.

Farecard machines are in every station. Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the stations and farecard machines only provide up to $5 in change.

    Get one ticket of unlimited Metrorall rides with a One Day Pass .Buy it from a farecard machine in Metro stations .Use it after 9:30 a,m. until closing on weekdays , and all day on weekends and holidays .

Hours of service

    Open 5am Mon-Fri             7a.m Sat-Sun

    Close midnight Sun-Thurs.          3a.m. Sat-Sun

    Last train times vary .To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train time posted in the station.

    Train times Posted in stations

    Metrobus

    When paying with exact charge, the fare is $1.35.When paying with a SmatTrip card, the fare is 1.25.

    Fares for the senior/ disabled customers

    Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare .On Metrorail and Metrobus , use a senior/disabled farecard or Smar/Trip Ⓡ card .For more information about buying senior, disabled farecards, farecard or SmarTrip cards and passes , please visit MetroOpensDoors .com or call 202-637-7000and 202-637-8000.

    Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorall services by calling 202-962-1100.

Travel tips (提示)

    Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4and 6p.m.

    If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost &Found at 202-962-1195, Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4and 6p.m.

    If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost &Found at 202-962-1195.

    I remember the first time I got on a horse. When I was a little boy aged two, my mom agreed to let me take a short ride and that was it! From then on, I drove my parents crazy begging for a horse.

    When I was four, I had mutism, in which children stop speaking in certain social situations. I went days, weeks, months without a sound at school. At most, I might quietly whisper to a friend. I suffered silently through school until I was ten when a psychologist (心理学家) had an idea. He asked me what I wanted more than anything else in the world. He explained I was going to be given a chance to work for that. And I was permitted to whisper the answer in my mother's ear, "A horse."

    I was to get a pony, but I had to live up to my end of the bargain (讲价). I had a list of weekly tasks I had to finish. I had to answer the phone five times per week, something I had never done before. I had to say one word to my teacher at school and the list went on. For a child with mutism, saying one word to someone can be like climbing Mount Qomolangma. I did everything that was asked of me and the day came. His name was Sequoia, whom I fell in love with immediately. When I was in Sequoia's presence, I forgot all about my problems and felt strong and secure.

    I am a fully participating member of society these days. My horse and I made it through a master's degree. I may have made it otherwise, but I'm not sure. I feel I owe my life to the horse and I try to give it back to him. He has given me the best gift I could ever imagine, my life.

    The movie theater is a fantasy land that takes the dreams of anyone. It attracts groups of different tastes. There are certain characteristics that distinguish these people from one another. And the characteristics also help guide directors towards what is going to be the next big cinematic presentation.

    The Regulars

    They are basically amateur movie critics themselves due to the amount of movies they watch. They do not decide more between movies and can generally see two or even three in one sitting. So older people are the regulars due to their plenty of free time they have.

    The Young Parents

    Children's movies are their entertainment of choice, and they tend to choose light-hearted humor over everything. Usually friendly, this group are great at socializing. As for the movie category for children, directors trust this group as they know what is wanted and expected in the types of movies.

    The Couple

    They are quick to get into the cinema and usually buy what is required by the female partner. What is usually a similar theme in their movies is at least a hinting at a love story of some sort. These groups are excellent test subjects for the production of Nicholas Sparks type movies as they feel like their love story is the next big production and thus directors are drawn towards them.

    The Noisy Teens

    These types can interrupt a movie countless times. Though they may buy tons of food, they seem somehow not to send the food into their mouths and employees find much food is left on the floor as if a food fight went on during the film. Action and adventure movies come out usually for this crowd because the plot and fast-paced nature of the film usually keep the teens at bay for that time period.