Georgia Tech researchers have developed a micro-robot that’s almost too small to see. We sized it up with a penny so you can see just how small it is.This tiny 3D-printed robot that moves by harnessing vibration from piezoelectric actuators, ultrasound sources or even tiny speakers.
source/image(PrtSc): Georgia Tech
The micro-bristle-bots consist of a piezoelectric actuator glued onto a polymer body that is 3D-printed using two-photon polymerization lithography (TPP).
The actuator generates vibration and is powered externally because no batteries are small enough to fit onto the bot.The piezoelectric actuators can also generate a voltage when vibrated to run sensors on the device.
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The applications of these bots include movement of materials within small spaces or even treating injuries within the body.“These micro-bristle-bots walk nicely in a laboratory environment, but there is a lot more we will have to do before they can go out into the outside world.”
