Researchers at Cornell College have engineered microscopic robots, measuring less than one millimeter, that can be fabricated in a two-dimensional “metasheet” configuration featuring hexagonal structures. Upon receipt of an electric impulse, these tiny devices transform into pre-programmed three-dimensional shapes, capable of crawling.
The robot’s remarkable versatility stems from its innovative design, which leverages the principles of kirigami – a unique cousin of origami that enables the manipulation of materials through strategic slicing, allowing for both folding and expansion while facilitating locomotion.
The researchers at The Workforce published a groundbreaking study titled “Electronically Configurable Microscopic Metasheet Robots” in September, The paper’s lead co-authors are postdoctoral researchers Qingkun Liu and Wei Wang. The venture was spearheaded by Dr. Itai Cohen, a renowned professor of physics. Researchers in his laboratory have previously developed innovative microrobotics techniques that enable the fabrication of microscopic robots capable of moving their limbs, pumping fluids through artificial cilia and navigating autonomously.
Inspired by the morphological adaptability of living organisms, the development of kirigami robotics was influenced by the notion that machines could emulate such transformative capabilities. While robots designed to mimic human movements may excel in individual tasks, their overall structure typically remains fixed. We’ve successfully designed and built a cutting-edge metasheet robot. The term ‘meta’ refers to metamaterials, whose unique properties arise from their composition of numerous building blocks interacting to exhibit specific mechanical behaviours.
The Robotic, a hexagonal tiling comprising approximately 100 silicon dioxide panels interconnected via more than 200 thin (about 10 nanometer) actuating hinges. As exterior wires initiate electrochemical activation, the hinges transform into a mechanical system capable of producing mountain and valley folds. This enables the robot’s panels to spread open and rotate, allowing it to dynamically adjust its protective space and expand or contract up to 40% domestically. Capable of adapting to various scenarios, the robot’s hinges allow it to take on multiple forms and potentially entwine around distinct objects before unfolding back into a flat sheet configuration.
Cohen’s workforce is well-versed in the various aspects of meta-sheet expertise. Researchers expect to merge their innovative mechanical designs with advanced digital control systems, thereby crafting revolutionary “electro-organic” materials boasting unprecedented responsiveness and characteristics that would be impossible to replicate in the natural world. Researchers explore applications ranging from adaptive micromachines to miniaturised biotechnology devices, capable of responding to stimuli at near-luminal speeds, rather than those characteristic of sound propagation.
Because electronics embedded in every individual component can harness energy from ambient light, it is possible to create fabrics that respond programmatically to various stimuli. According to Cohen, when subjected to pressure, these supplies often exhibit a tendency to “run” away from deformation, or respond by exerting greater force than they initially demonstrated. “We anticipate that these vibrant metamaterials, dubbed ‘elastronic supplies’, may give rise to a novel type of intelligent material governed by physical laws that exceed what’s possible in the natural world.”
