Cornell University researchers have made groundbreaking developments in the realm of robotics. They've created microscopic robots, less than 1 millimeter in size, that are capable of morphing into preprogrammed 3D shapes and even moving on their own. Initially printed as a 2D hexagonal 'metasheet,' these minuscule robots take on their full form with a mere jolt of electricity.
The versatility of these robots stems from a unique design rooted in kirigami, a type of origami where cuts in the material allow it to fold and expand, enabling movement. The researchers published their paper, "Electronically Configurable Microscopic Metasheet Robots," on September 11 in Nature Materials, detailing the origins and innovative capacities of these robots.
Quest for mobility and versatility inspired the creation of these microscopic robots. Unlike the majority of robotic technologies that become static after fabrication, these microbots have the capacity to change their overall shape, largely owing to their 'metasheet' configuration. The term 'meta' in 'metasheet' stands for metamaterial, signifying that they are composed of many functioning building blocks that together determine the material's mechanical behavior.
The hexagonal tiling of the robot is comprised of approximately 100 silicon dioxide panels. These panels are connected through more than 200 actuating hinges, each about 10 nanometers thin. Upon electrochemical activation through external wires, these hinges form valley and mountain folds enabling the robot to modify its coverage area. As a result, the robot can expand and contract locally by up to 40%. By selectively activating certain hinges, the robot can adopt various shapes, wrap around objects, and then revert to a flat sheet.
While this development is impressive, the team of researchers is already contemplating the future of metasheet technology. They foresee the amalgamation of their flexible mechanical structures with electronic controllers to create unprecedented 'elastronic' materials. The applications of such materials could span a wide range, from reconfigurable micromachines to miniaturized biomedical devices and even materials that respond to impact almost at the speed of light. This could give birth to a new kind of mutable, intelligent matter, governed by laws that go beyond what we see in the natural world.
Disclaimer: The above article was written with the assistance of AI. The original sources can be found on ScienceDaily.
