A soft robot measuring 2 cm jumps and swims under infrared light
- A two-centimeter soft robot jumps under infrared light
- The structure made of liquid crystal elastomer twists when heated
- The robot can swim and overcome obstacles without batteries
- The results are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Researchers from the USA presented a new sample in the field of soft robotics — a two-centimeter robot made of liquid crystal elastomer. Its compact size and flexible design allow for dynamic movements without traditional drives.
Design and materials
The body of the robot is a rod rolled into a ring, with the ends connected to form a V-shaped tail. The liquid crystal elastomer used changes shape when heated, while maintaining sufficient elasticity for quick recovery to its original state.
The main source of energy is infrared light. When the rays hit the material, it heats up, its molecules rearrange, and the rod begins to twist. The accumulated deformation reaches a critical value, after which the tail sharply pushes off the surface, throwing the robot into the air.
During flight, the ring automatically unfolds to its original shape, preparing for the next cycle. Thus, the robot can perform a series of jumps without any external intervention, only requiring infrared radiation to be maintained.
In addition to jumping over rough terrain, the device demonstrates the ability to swim. Thanks to its hydrophobic shell and ability to change volume, the robot can move across the water's surface, using the same thermal transformations to generate thrust.
In a series of laboratory tests, the robot performed over 200 consecutive jumps, overcoming obstacles up to 5 mm high and covering distances of up to 30 cm in a single cycle. Meanwhile, energy consumption remained low: it was sufficient to maintain the intensity of infrared radiation in the range of 0.5–1 W/cm².
The authors emphasize that this approach opens up new possibilities for creating autonomous soft systems capable of operating in conditions where traditional motors and batteries are impossible or undesirable.
Potential areas of application include search and rescue operations in hard-to-reach areas, monitoring environmental parameters in aquatic environments, and exploring microscopic landscapes.
In the future, the team plans to scale the technology, explore alternative heat sources, and improve the robot's maneuverability using modular light patterns.
Source: N+1
