Magnetic Robots Revolutionize Robotics with Walking, Crawling, and Swimming Abilities
– MIT scientists have developed groundbreaking magnetic robots capable of walking, crawling, and swimming using a simple magnetic field.
– The robots are constructed from flexible magnetic spirals and respond to an easily applicable magnetic force.
– The soft composition of the robots, primarily consisting of soft polymers, allows for activation with a minimal magnetic field.
– The robots are highly suitable for confined space tasks and delicate biomedical applications.
– These robots can be scaled down even further, opening up possibilities for the development of smaller robots.
– The previous limitations of magnetic robots relying on moving magnetic fields to propel motion have been overcome.
– The robots possess non-uniform magnetization, strategically magnetized in various zones and directions, enabling desired movements with a single magnetic field.
– The fabrication process involves combining two types of rubber with different stiffness levels, resulting in a coil-like structure when the strain is released.
– A specific magnetization pattern is introduced to program the robots for intended movements.
– Different patterns and magnetizations allow the robots to crawl, walk, and perform other desired motions.
– Multiple robots can be set in motion by a single magnetic field, moving in opposite directions if programmed accordingly.
– The magnetic field's direction can be flipped to cause cargo-carrying robots to gently release their payload.
– These magnetic robots represent a remarkable achievement in robotics and have the potential to revolutionize industries like logistics and medicine.