Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan have created autonomous robots as small as grains of salt that can swim, sense temperature and operate independently for months.
The robots measure roughly 200 by 300 by 50 micrometres and contain onboard computers, sensors and propulsion systems.
Each robot costs about one cent to produce, making large-scale manufacturing feasible.
We’ve made autonomous robots 10,000 times smaller.
Marc Miskin said.
Instead of moving parts, the robots use electrical fields to push charged particles in liquid, allowing motion without mechanical limbs.
The machines are powered by LED light and tiny solar panels generating extremely low levels of energy.
Engineers redesigned circuits and software to function at ultra-low voltages and fit within microscopic memory.
The robots can detect temperature changes with high precision and move towards warmer areas autonomously.
Data is communicated through movement patterns observed under a microscope, inspired by how bees communicate.
Researchers say the technology opens new possibilities for medical, environmental and cellular monitoring applications.