In 2022, engineers at Northwestern University developed the world’s smallest remote-controlled walking robot—a crab-shaped microbot measuring just 0.5 millimeters (about 0.02 inches).
The robot is made from shape-memory alloy (nitinol) and can walk, twist, bend, and jump by using a scanned laser beam.
This laser locally heats its legs, causing them to bend and move without any onboard electronics or batteries.
Inspired by pop-up book engineering, the crab robot is manufactured flat and springs into 3D shape.
It's controlled externally and walks at a speed of about half its body length per second.
The innovation represents a breakthrough in micro-robotics, with potential applications in minimally invasive surgeries, targeted drug delivery, and microscale industrial repairs.
It was published in Science Robotics, showcasing a future where ultra-small robots may assist in precise medical and mechanical tasks.
The robot is made from shape-memory alloy (nitinol) and can walk, twist, bend, and jump by using a scanned laser beam.
This laser locally heats its legs, causing them to bend and move without any onboard electronics or batteries.
Inspired by pop-up book engineering, the crab robot is manufactured flat and springs into 3D shape.
It's controlled externally and walks at a speed of about half its body length per second.
The innovation represents a breakthrough in micro-robotics, with potential applications in minimally invasive surgeries, targeted drug delivery, and microscale industrial repairs.
It was published in Science Robotics, showcasing a future where ultra-small robots may assist in precise medical and mechanical tasks.
In 2022, engineers at Northwestern University developed the world’s smallest remote-controlled walking robot—a crab-shaped microbot measuring just 0.5 millimeters (about 0.02 inches).
The robot is made from shape-memory alloy (nitinol) and can walk, twist, bend, and jump by using a scanned laser beam.
This laser locally heats its legs, causing them to bend and move without any onboard electronics or batteries.
Inspired by pop-up book engineering, the crab robot is manufactured flat and springs into 3D shape.
It's controlled externally and walks at a speed of about half its body length per second.
The innovation represents a breakthrough in micro-robotics, with potential applications in minimally invasive surgeries, targeted drug delivery, and microscale industrial repairs.
It was published in Science Robotics, showcasing a future where ultra-small robots may assist in precise medical and mechanical tasks.
