A team of scientists created the smallest robot capable of walking and being controlled remotely. So small, the robot that looks like a crab is only half a millimeter in size. Then with such a small size what is the function of the crab robot? The minuscule robot has many potential uses, from assisting with surgical procedures to repairing machinery in spaces where wrenches cannot be fitted. The smaller they are, the more scenarios they can use. Even so the robot crab has not really operated and made repairs. It's just that researchers say that the technology in the world's smallest crab robot is really impressive and can be useful for science. The technique that these scientists developed later could also be used to develop other small robots with different shapes.
"Our technology allows a variety of controlled movement modalities and can walk at an average speed of half his body length per second," said Yonggang Huang, a mechanical engineer from Northwestern University in Illinois.
The technology on which this robot is based was originally developed eight years ago. These smallest robot crab parts are mounted on a stretched rubber substrate and when the material is loosened, the shape of the device emerges. The shape of the robot can also be precisely controlled by carefully calibrating the base. Then the laser will act as a remote control, which can regulate the robot, for example, heating certain parts of the robot. By aiming the laser at different parts of the robot, researchers can also adjust the direction of movement. Meanwhile by adjusting the laser scanning frequency, the movement speed of the robot can also be modified. No need for resources or machines. Furthermore, a thin layer of glass will ensure the components return to their original shape when cooled.
"Because the robot is very small, the cooling rate is very fast. And reducing the size of this robot will also allow them to run even faster," said John Rogers, a materials scientist from Northwestern University.
The researchers say there is a lot of potential in their new upcoming process. For example, they can make the robot spin and jump using the same technique. As long as the robot is within the laser's line of sight, the robot can be manipulated remotely.
"Robotics is an exciting area of research and the development of micro-scale robots is an exciting topic for academic exploration," Rogers said.
"You might imagine microrobots as agents for repairing or assembling small structures or machines in industry or as surgical assistants to clean blocked arteries, to stop internal bleeding or to remove cancerous tumors. All in a minimally invasive procedure," he adds.
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