Tech startup: I really do make mobile phones!

Chapter 149 Finally Meeting Professor Ant
The wedding banquet in the village was full of local flavor, with wild game sizzling around the bonfire, fragrant rice wine in bamboo tubes, and the villagers' simple and warm smiles.

Chen Mo followed Professor Lai and his group and experienced a unique open-air meal, which relieved much of his fatigue.

It wasn't until the moon was high in the sky that Zhao Tiezhu, his eyes vacant, staggered back to meet up with Chen Mo.

Chen Mo looked at him and teased, "Go find some water. Did you get lost in the village?"

Unexpectedly, Zhao Tiezhu, who was usually jovial, didn't joke around this time. He just waved his hand wearily and said, "Brother Chen, I'm really tired after traveling all day. I'll rest first."

After saying that, he went into the bamboo house room that Professor Lai had arranged for him.

Chen Mo was slightly surprised and smiled: "Ha! So this kid knows what tiredness is after all!"

But he didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a lingering effect of the bumpy mountain road and the motorcycle ordeal.

Chen Mo himself had been traveling all day from Shenzhen to this remote village in the clouds, and he was exhausted. He quickly found a spot and fell into a deep sleep.

The three of them spent the night in the bamboo house.

The next morning, after a quick breakfast, the three of them helped move Professor Lai's team's supplies and tools, mainly food, water, spare batteries, and some lighter monitoring equipment.

Chen Mo took the initiative to lift the relatively lightweight infrared trigger camera, while Zhou Mingzhe carried a slightly heavier environmental monitoring instrument.

Surprisingly, Zhao Tiezhu, who seemed carefree and irresponsible, was full of energy after a nap. He took the initiative to carry the heaviest buckets of water and food bags on a shoulder pole, walking steadily.

In the morning, the group, fully equipped with mosquito-proof clothing and masks, led by Professor Lai, plunged into the dense forest path leading to the rubber plantation.

The road conditions here are worse than yesterday's motorcycle lane; it's almost entirely covered with waist-high weeds and tangled vines.

Tiny midges swarm and can get into any crevice. Even with a mosquito repellent mask, some can still slip through and crawl into your nostrils or mouth, which is incredibly annoying.

Chen Mo, as an extreme hiking enthusiast, was in decent physical condition. Zhao Tiezhu, who came from a poor background, persevered despite the burden. On the other hand, Zhou Mingzhe, who spent long hours at his desk and in the laboratory, was panting heavily and drenched in sweat.

After walking for more than four hours, passing through a dense jungle, a vast and neat rubber plantation suddenly appeared before us.

In a clearing in the woods, several simple tents were set up, and a group of "wild men" dressed in mud-covered clothes, with sun-darkened faces and messy hair were busy at work.

Chen Mo immediately spotted the elderly man in the center of the crowd, with gray hair, a refined demeanor, and an equally unkempt appearance. He was none other than Professor Xu Dechang, the target of his trip.

He was squatting beside a huge white cloth net (Malaysian net), instructing students to carefully collect the insects that had fallen into it.

Professor Lai greeted him with a smile: "Old Xu! Look who's here! I've seen your guest off!"

Chen Mo quickly stepped forward to express his heartfelt gratitude to Professor Lai.

"Professor Lai, thank you so much! Without your guidance, the three of us would have wandered around these mountains for three days and still wouldn't have found the place!"

Professor Lai waved his hand and laughed heartily, "President Chen, you're too kind. You helped us carry so many extra supplies, allowing us to stay at the observation point for three more days!"

Haha! The supplies you brought are a huge help! Every extra day spent collecting samples in the field increases the chances of finding something!

He smiled and patted Zhao Tiezhu on the shoulder, clearly satisfied with the supplies the young man had carried. After all, how many college students these days can carry heavy loads?

So, Professor Lai's team was able to bring more supplies this time, thanks in large part to Zhao Tiezhu.

Chen Mo glanced at the sweaty Zhao Tiezhu and smiled, "It was nothing. Professor Lai, it's really hard work for you to stay in the wild like this."

At this moment, Professor Xu also noticed the commotion, put down the siphon he was holding, and walked over.

He and Professor Lai were old friends, and they would joke around with each other whenever they met.

Professor Xu looked at the empty snake box carried by Professor Lai's student.
"Wow! You deadbeats! You're in luck, coming back again so soon?"

Professor Lai joked, "Thanks to you, we encountered the target species as soon as we went out yesterday. Everything went incredibly smoothly. If you don't have enough funding, just join my group. Old Li will be overjoyed if he finds out. One trip, two results!"

"Hahaha! This is what they call ants and insects being one family, sharing resources!"

Professor Lai then led Chen Mo to the front: "Old Xu, this is Mr. Chen, who came here specifically to see you."

Professor Xu then turned his gaze to Chen Mo and his group behind Professor Lai, his face showing apology.

"Oh, is this Mr. Chen?"
I'm so sorry!
We had originally planned to go, but the department was tight on funding and Old Li wouldn't approve more. I saw that Lao Lai and his friends were also going on a field trip, so I shamelessly brought some students to join the group.

"I feel so bad that you've come all this way into the mountains!"

Chen Mo quickly stepped forward, his attitude respectful.

"Professor Xu, hello! I'm the one who's bothering you. Please go ahead with your research. We can lend a hand and ask you questions when you have some free time!"

Professor Xu smiled when he saw Zhou Mingzhe.

"Xiao Zhou is here too, perfect! You still know how to set up the Malay webpage, right? I'll get you the area board, you take a group of junior students to set it up in Area C!"

He then looked at Chen Mo: "President Chen, I'm really sorry, I just finished collecting a batch of data and need to enter it quickly, otherwise the samples for the light traps tonight will be messed up. Why don't you get to know Xiao Zhou first?"

“No problem! Professor Xu, please go ahead with your work!” Chen Mo immediately expressed his understanding.

Professor Xu nodded and strode towards the tent area, where a solar panel was set up. He took out his tablet and began to focus on inputting data on the types and numbers of ants captured by the light trap the previous night.

Professor Lai's team also said goodbye and headed to a nearby snake observation site with their equipment.

Chen Mo and Zhao Tiezhu didn't sit idle; they followed Zhou Mingzhe and a group of young graduate interns toward the rubber forest in Area C.

Zhou Mingzhe pointed to the tall tree canopy, picked up a folded Malay net, and skillfully explained to his younger schoolmates: "You've all learned this in school, right?"

"Malaysian nets are generally used to passively capture flying insects. We set them up in the tree canopy to monitor the activity patterns of these arboreal weevils."

Pay attention to the angle of the net, how it's secured, and the placement of the collection bags…”

As he spoke, he put on specially made tree-climbing shoes and a safety harness, preparing to demonstrate.

"Why make things so complicated for something so simple?"

Zhao Tiezhu glanced at Zhou Mingzhe's elaborate equipment, curled his lip, and expressed his disdain.

He casually picked up a Malay net, put it in his mouth, and without wearing any special shoes or safety belt, he used both his hands and feet like a nimble monkey.

"whoosh whoosh"

Zhao Tiezhu quickly climbed up the trunk of a nearby rubber tree and deftly spread and secured the Malayan net at a branch nearly ten meters above the ground.

Then, he slid down with a "whoosh," the movement so fluid that the group of students on field internships stared in disbelief and let out a low gasp of surprise.

Zhao Tiezhu dusted off his hands, looking smug: "Basic operation, pretty simple!"

Chen Mo walked over irritably and lightly kicked his shin.

"Get out of here! Don't corrupt the children!"

He turned to the students and said seriously, "Don't follow his example. Safety comes first when working in the field. The standard operating procedures that your senior brother Zhou taught you are lessons learned from the blood, tears, and even lives of our predecessors. You must strictly abide by them!"

As the students watched the distinguished "General Manager Chen" speak, a man even the professors treated with deference, and recalling Zhao Tiezhu's dangerous stunt, they all nodded and became serious.

Next, under Zhou Mingzhe's command, the group began to set up Malayan netting on the canopy of the rubber trees in Area C, which was designated by Professor Xu.

Chen Mo also tried it out with great interest. Under Zhou Mingzhe's guidance, he put on his equipment, carefully climbed a low tree, and completed the setup.

After finishing their work, everyone found a shady spot under a tree to rest and drink water.

The students were exhausted, but their curiosity was even stronger, and their eyes kept falling on Chen Mo.

This young man, who looked to be about the same age as them, was the "General Manager Chen" mentioned by Senior Brother Zhou, and even Professor Xu treated him with great courtesy.

A petite, lively girl mustered her courage and handed Chen Mo a bottle of water, asking familiarly, "Mr. Chen, what does your company do? You seem really impressive!"

The students around him cast curious glances. Chen Mo smiled and took the water: "I make smartphones."

"A smartphone?" The petite girl's eyes lit up. She pulled a phone with a cute cartoon "Q Orange" phone case from her pocket and asked excitedly, "Is it like this?"

Chen Mo's gaze fell on the familiar Q-orange sticker. Instead of answering directly, he asked with a smile.

Where did you buy this phone?

"A company bought it during an event at my classmate's school in Kunming in October!"

The girl's tone carried a hint of pride.

"I think it's much better than that big-name Fantasy phone from Yudongtui. My classmate bought a Fantasy phone for 699 yuan, and it was incredibly laggy and took blurry photos. Mine only cost 499 yuan, and the charging is amazing. It can be fully charged in 30 seconds, you know?"

Compared to other phones that take 3 to 4 hours to fully charge, she was clearly impressed by the Orange 1's "super fast charging" that comes in seconds.

As for the oranges, the photos are all blurry and pixelated, but they're cheap!

The comparison was hurtful, and the student who bought the fantasy phone became the sucker in this girl's eyes.

I imagine that if that student wanted to change phones again, they definitely wouldn't choose the Fantasy.

Chen Mo simply smiled, neither stepping forward to show off nor saying anything more.

This genuine recognition from users is more gratifying to him than any advertisement.

When it was time for dinner, the conditions at the campsite were rudimentary, with only a single lamp lit in the tent rest area.

As a "distinguished guest," Chen Mo was given a steaming bowl of instant noodles.

Professor Xu and his students sat together, eating compressed biscuits with cold water.

Professor Xu said to Chen Mo somewhat embarrassedly, "Mr. Chen, please excuse the poor conditions. These are the best we can do in the field."

Looking at Professor Xu's face, roughened by the mountain wind, and at the young students eating their dry rations without complaint, Chen Mo felt a surge of respect.

"Professor Xu, please don't say that. It is we who are the ones who have benefited from this success. You are the researchers who have truly laid the foundation for science, the real heroes!"

He felt a surge of anger when he recalled the misunderstandings and attacks on basic scientific research on the internet in later generations, such as "studying ants is a waste of money" and "it would be better to distribute the information to everyone."

Without this quiet accumulation of basic research, without a deep understanding of biological prototypes, such as the sensory mechanism of ant antennae and the principle of muscle drive, where would the application of bionics come from?
Modern aircraft designs, eagle-eye systems, radars, precision gyroscopes, and high-efficiency motors—aren't they all biomimetic creations derived from basic biology through mechanical abstraction?

The study of basic mathematics, physics, and chemistry is the foundation of the towering edifice of science and the source of innovation for new technologies.

This is why the government is willing to spend 2000 billion yuan to subsidize seemingly useless basic scientific research.

Have you ever heard of castles in the air?
You're not going to lay a foundation, and you don't even want the first and second floors. You're just thinking about building a third floor with cutting-edge electronics, aerospace, and aviation technology. Isn't that a joke?

Most researchers in various countries seem to be doing very ordinary work, but their research results are the foundation, waiting for a genius to integrate them and build a tall building on top of them.

Taking advantage of a rare free moment after dinner, Chen Mo pulled Zhou Mingzhe aside and went to find him with the questions she had prepared.

"Professor Xu, we have some understanding of materials and mechanics, but we're completely clueless when it comes to the biological characteristics of ants, especially the 'feeling' we need to simulate. What do you think?"

Chen Mo got straight to the point and raised his doubts.

Professor Xu nodded and adjusted his glasses: "I understand! But I'm a layman when it comes to mechanics. I can only offer you some suggestions on biological models and parameters from the perspective of the ants themselves."

"What kind of ants do you need? Arboreal? Terrestrial? Size? Does the antennae sensing mechanism rely on vibration or chemical signals? Are there specific parameter ranges for muscle explosive power?"

Chen Mo immediately took out the prepared guide and began to show the information to Professor Xu.

"We need species with tentacles that are extremely sensitive to minute vibrations and respond very quickly to simulate high-precision gyroscopes. At the same time, we need species with strong explosive power in their hind limbs or upper jaw muscles, precise control, and the ability to repeatedly and rapidly extend and retract to simulate high-efficiency micro-motors."

“Professor Xu! That would be best.” Zhou Mingzhe added, “It should be from the same group or closely related species, so that the biomimetic structure may have better coordination.”

Professor Xu looked at the requirements for bionic ants in the materials, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"Yes, the antennae of the arboreal yellow weasel ant are extremely sensitive to vibrations of branches and leaves, which they use for early warning and communication. Its Johnston organ (the sensory organ at the base of the antennae) is exceptionally sensitive to micrometer-level displacements and Hertz-level vibrations. As for its muscles..."

Yellow weaver ants are really not suitable for biomimicry, so we can only consider those from the same genus.

He pondered for a moment: "The large soldier ants of the Messor genus have an amazing explosive force in their mandibular closing muscles, which can precisely control the force of their bite in milliseconds to carry heavy seeds."

Finally, Professor Xu offered his advice.

"Both are good subjects for study, but coordination... Perhaps we could look at the information exchange and coordinated actions between scouts and fighters in some army ants (such as those in the genus Eciton), but that involves swarm intelligence."

"It's alright!" Chen Mo waved his hand dismissively. "Professor Xu, just tell us. Whether we can figure it out or not is our business!"

He believes that in the future, Orange will be able to develop its own artificial intelligence to replace this biomimetic model of collective intelligence.

The three engaged in a lively discussion about specific ant species, antennae structure, nerve signal transmission speed, muscle fiber types, and energy conversion efficiency.

Chen Mo proposed constraints and directions from the perspectives of materials science and demand, while Zhou Mingzhe deduced from the difficulties of mechanical structure and engineering implementation. Professor Xu, with his profound knowledge of biology, continuously provided specific biological prototype parameters, behavioral patterns, and anatomical basis.

The discussion was in-depth and professional, yet full of passion for exploration. Under the small light in the tent, the three were having a brainstorming session that spanned materials science, mechanics, and biology.

Having witnessed Professor Xu's profound scholarship and accurate judgment, Chen Mo no longer hesitated.

Taking advantage of a break in the discussion, he focused his mind on the system interface in his head, tapping away with his thoughts:
[System notification: Confirmed investment of 1 million R&D points, initiating the Level 3 "Ant Antennae Bionic Gyroscope" development!]

[System notification: Confirmed investment of 1 million R&D points, initiating Level 3 "Ant Muscle Bionic Micro Motor" R&D!]

Currently, Chen Mo's high-tech system settlement interface only has a mere 4 research points left.

Half an hour later, a wealth of knowledge about three-stage bionic gyroscopes and micromotors flooded Chen Mo's mind:
I. Mechanical Gyroscope Technology

Level 1 (Prototype Breakthrough)

The core drawback is that its zero-bias stability is only 3°/h (lagging behind the mainstream MEMS gyroscopes in the market at 1°/h). Its cutting-edge technology lies in the nonlinear vibration system that mimics the structure of an ant's antenna, which improves stability and shock resistance by 300% compared to traditional products!

Level 2 (Rapid Iteration)
Zero-bias stability is improved to 0.01°/h (approaching the level of tactical military gyroscopes), the size is reduced by 40%, the self-cleaning coating technology of the antennae is retained, and the lifespan is extended by 5 times in extreme temperature and dust environments!
Level 3 (Outperform)

Its zero-bias stability reaches an astonishing 0.000001°/h (surpassing the most advanced fiber optic gyroscopes currently available), and it integrates a calibration algorithm that simulates ant swarm intelligence, achieving the highest level of accuracy and stability to date!

II. Micro-motor grading scheme
Level 1: The torque density is only 8mN·m/g (only 60% of that of current industrial motors), but its cutting-edge technology lies in the dielectric elastomer drive that mimics the muscles of ants, with a response speed as fast as 0.1ms!

Level 2: Torque density is increased to 15mN·m/g, and it supports working in extreme environments from -40℃ to 150℃. It retains the overload self-protection mechanism of bionic muscles to avoid burnout!
Level 3: Energy efficiency ratio up to 92% (surpassing the most advanced brushless motors currently available), and integrates a heat dissipation structure that simulates the efficient ventilation of an anthill, resulting in a significant increase in power density!

Chen Mo was not a mechanical engineering graduate, and although he knew these parameters were impressive, the shock he felt was not as strong as when he developed the gaseous lithium battery that revolutionized the battery industry.

However, since it's a product of the system, it must be a high-tech masterpiece!

He decided to spend the next few days staying by Professor Xu's side, asking this expert with real knowledge about all the details of ant biomimicry in his systematic knowledge.

However, Chen Mo's romanticized vision of researchers conducting field research was quickly shattered by reality.

Not only is the food poor, but the worst part is that I can't sleep well either.

The first night spent in the rubber plantation gave Chen Mo a profound understanding of what torture truly meant.

As night fell, I was drenched in sweat in the stuffy sleeping bag. I could feel mosquitoes buzzing around my face and neck. Even with the tent zipper closed, it felt like there was a massive army of mosquitoes queuing up for dinner outside. The endless buzzing was incredibly annoying.

The latter half of the night took on a different, torturous form, driving people absolutely mad.

This was nothing like the "romance" Chen Mo had imagined—that field research could involve sleeping under the stars and moon. After experiencing it firsthand, he found it to be utter torture.

Finally, after tossing and turning all night, Chen Mo finally fell asleep from extreme exhaustion on his first day in the wilderness.

(End of this chapter)