Unlike the production of general robots, creating soft robots is very challenging because structural, power supply, and control system changes must be made accordingly. More difficult is the need to reduce their size, especially for the part responsible for the movement control of the soft robot. Researchers from the University of Warsaw’s Faculty of Physics have successfully created a 15 mm soft micro robot that can move simply by using light sources.
The micro robot is made of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), a type of smart material that changes shape when exposed to visible light. Once it encounters a light source, the shape of the micro robot changes, resembling a track, and the exposure to visible light causes its body to contract, creating ripples that push its body to move.
By controlling the light source, researchers can make the robot perform different operations. This micro robot can not only climb steep slopes and squeeze into extremely narrow spaces but can also move objects that are ten times its size.
It can be used for scientific research in harsh environments, and of course, if there is a way to attach a camera or microphone, it can also be used for espionage activities. Currently, this research has been published in the journal Advanced Optical Materials. (Source: cnbeta website)
