This Four Millimeter Long Millirobot Can Walk, Crawl and Roll Through Difficult Terrain – News from Journal World

This Four Millimeter Long Millirobot Can Walk, Crawl and Roll Through Difficult Terrain – News from Journal World

The millirobot now introduced by the Max Planck researchers in Stuttgart moves over land and water. Jellyfish and caterpillars are just two of the natural role models that inspired the scientists. © MPI for Intelligent Systems

Tiny robots need not fear obstacle courses in the future: Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart have developed a minuscule, flexible robot that can master a variety of forms of movement. Its magnetic drive allows it to walk, crawl and roll through difficult terrain. Moreover, it can transport small loads and swim on and in liquids. In future, tiny robots moving in this way could transport medication specifically to where it is needed.

The millirobots are characterized by their manoeuvrability. The tiny vehicle, a strip of elastic silicon just four millimeters long, can be used in a variety of locomotion modes, allowing the millirobot to manoeuvre even through a complex environment. Previous microrobots, on the other hand, can only manoeuvre to a limited extent and meet their match especially in difficult terrain.