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Researchers Develop First Microscopic Robots Capable of “Walking”

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Image: Cornell University

In what is a breakthrough within the field of robotics, researchers have created the first microscopic robots capable of being controlled through their incorporated semiconductor components. The robots are able to “walk” with only standard electronic signals.

The microscopic robots are the size of a paramecium, and they will act as the foundation for further projects. Some of those could include complex versions with silicon-based intelligence, the mass production of such robots, and versions capable of moving through human tissue and blood.

The work was a collaboration led by Cornell University, which included Itai Cohen, professor of physics. Other members of the team included Paul McEuen, the John A. Newman Professor of Physical Science, as well as Marc Miskin, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Their work was published Aug. 26 in Nature, titled “Electronically Integrated, Mass-Manufactured, Microscopic Robots.”

Previous Nanoscale Projects

The newly developed microscopic robots were built upon previous work done by Cohen and McEuen. Some of their previous nanoscale projects involved microscopic sensors and graphene-based origami machines. 

The new microscopic robots are approximately 5 microns thick, 40 microns wide, and anywhere between 40 to 70 microns in length. One micron is just one-millionth of a meter. 

Each robot has a simple circuit that is made from silicon photovoltaics and four electrochemical actuators. The silicon photovoltaics act as the torso and brain, while the electrochemical actuators act as the legs.

Controlling the Microscopic Robots

In order to control the robots, the researchers flash laser pulses at different photovoltaics, with each one making up a seperate set of legs. The robots are able to walk when the laser is toggled back and forth between the front and back photovoltaics.

The robots only operate at a low voltage of 200 millivolts, and they run on just 10 nanowatts of power. The material is strong for such a small object, and they are able to be fabricated parallel since they are constructed with standard lithographic processes. On just a four inch silicon wafer, there can be around 1 million bots.

The team is now looking at how to make the robots more powerful through electronics and onboard computation. 

It is possible that future versions of microrobots could act in swarms and complete tasks like restructuring materials, suturing blood vessels, or be sent to the human brain. 

“Controlling a tiny robot is maybe as close as you can come to shrinking yourself down. I think machines like these are going to take us into all kinds of amazing worlds that are too small to see,” said Miskin.

“This research breakthrough provides exciting scientific opportunity for investigating new questions relevant to the physics of active matter and may ultimately lead to futuristic robotic materials,” said Sam Stanton. 

Stanton is program manager for the Army Research Office, which supported the microscopic robot research. 

A video of Itai Cohen explaining the technology can be found here.

Alex McFarland is a tech writer who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence. He has worked with AI startups and publications across the globe.