Overview
- Researchers reported in Science Robotics and PNAS that sub-millimeter robots integrate a processor, memory, temperature sensors, photovoltaics and actuators on a single CMOS-fabricated chip.
- Each device measures roughly 200 × 300 × 50 micrometers, costs about a penny to make, and can operate for months when illuminated.
- Locomotion comes from an electric field that moves ions in the surrounding fluid, producing thrust without moving parts and allowing repeated transfers by micropipette.
- Ultra-low-power computing runs on about 75 nanowatts harvested from onboard solar cells, with redesigned circuits and condensed instruction sets enabling control and sensing.
- In lab trials, the bots executed autonomous temperature-seeking behavior across 56 tests, were programmed by light pulses using unique IDs, and demonstrated coordinated group motion.