Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology have unveiled a tiny robot that is made
Scientists inspired by coral polyps- small creatures with tentacles that make up the corals in the ocean. First of all, they admired the ability to interact with the environment using sea currents. Polyp stems constantly make specific movements that attract food particles.
A wireless artificial polyp with a size of 1 by 1 cm was equipped with a stem that responds to gravity and light. Due to these factors, the robot moves its tentacles and collects small debris around itself.
See how microplastics have reached the vegetables we eat
Scientists are working on a larger device- an array of polyps that can work together. According to the engineers' plan, they will be able to transport particles over long distances and transfer them to each other. Also, the robot will be able to find certain viruses that may be contained in water.
An additional advantage of the device isthat it works regardless of the composition of the surrounding fluid. This is a unique property because the main material in the robot - hydrogel - is sensitive to the environment. However, engineers were able to process it so that the material could behave identically in water of varying degrees of pollution or salinity. The effectiveness of the robot does not change.
See also:
- In September, a dangerous asteroid will fly near the Earth. The minimum distance will be less than to the moon
- Comet NEOWISE is visible in Russia. Where to see her, where to look and how to take a photo
- Look at the huge “wall” of hundreds of thousands of galaxies behind the Milky Way