Overview
- The lab-built device, smaller than a grain of salt, integrates an onboard computer, sensors, and a motor to achieve autonomous behavior at sub-millimeter scale.
- Details published in Science Robotics describe solar-cell power, microchip-like materials of silicon, platinum and titanium, and a protective glass-like coating.
- Propulsion comes from electrode-driven flows that let the robot swim in liquid, with temperature sensing and motion-based messaging to a human operator.
- Demonstrations included LED-lit dish tests and student-led tracking using a low-cost microscope, underscoring accessible operation in controlled settings.
- Scientists emphasize the robot is experimental, with next steps focused on biocompatibility and operation in saltwater or on land, plus enabling microrobot-to-microrobot communication and potential real-world uses within about a decade.