The researchers want to design robots that can be powered by turbulence, in particular, which they describe as "wind that's frequently changing direction and intensity." Lead researcher Adrian Stoica says that's similar similar to how some wristwatches can be wound by shaking them. Stoica and his team were recently awarded $100,000 by NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, and they plan to use that money to create a model for testing. If they manage to conjure up a model that works, windbots can also be used here on Earth in the future to monitor turbulent weather conditions like hurricanes.