𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: “WSU develops cutting-edge Micro-Robots” by Eldiemer John Amplayo

 

Published by: Hannah Lorenzo 

Date Published: March 9, 2024

Time Published: 9:50 am

Washington State University (WSU) achieved a major breakthrough in robotics with the creation of the smallest and fastest micro-robots, promising to revolutionize industries such as artificial pollination and medicine.

Developed at WSU, these insect-inspired robots utilized shape memory alloys for movement and aimed to emulate natural insect behavior, enhancing autonomy and efficiency. Among the innovations were the mini-bug and water strider robots, which showcased unparalleled compactness and speed, moving at approximately six millimeters per second.

Conor Trygstad, a PhD student in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and lead author, stated, “That is fast compared to other micro-robots at this scale, although it still lagged behind their biological relatives.”

An immediate application of WSU's micro-robots is in artificial pollination. With declining bee populations, these robots could efficiently transfer pollen between flowers, ensuring stable crop yields without harmful pesticides.

This not only boosts food production, particularly in greenhouses and large-scale farms, but also reduces dependence on unpredictable natural pollinators, making food production more resilient to environmental fluctuations and diseases.

Moreover, these micro-robots hold promise in the field of medicine. Traditional surgeries with large incisions often entail longer healing times and complications. However, these micro-robots can perform similar tasks through significantly smaller incisions, leading to faster patient recovery with less pain.

The WSU micro-robots also utilize shape memory alloys for movement. These alloys transform shape when heated, eliminating the need for conventional motors, resulting in lightweight and dependable actuators.

The researchers are now focusing on mimicking the movements of another insect, aiming to construct a water strider-like robot capable of maneuvering both on the water surface and underwater.

REFERENCES:

[1] Khan, A. N., & Khan, A. N. (2024, February 22). Scientists Create World’s Smallest & Lightest Micro-Robots. The Morning News. https://themorningnews.com/news/2024/02/22/scientists-create-worlds-smallest-lightest-micro-robots/?fbclid=IwAR3aW1xJDMvZrilZPCI40EfFRjUSDKX3r-NQutUkM-yfy7-YbxFERNePvF4

[2] Malayil, J. (2024, January 19). Smallest, lightest, fastest micro-robots ever devised, experts claim. Interesting Engineering. https://interestingengineering.com/transportation/smallest-lightest-fastest-micro-robots-ever-devised-experts-claim?fbclid=IwAR1geddqNhOaVbX4cx1QO3nb8ichSNQgghsp_JNhnLIXGO9S6I0LCXab3RI

[3] Paul, A. (2024, January 18). These micro-robots were inspired by mini-bugs and water striders. Popular Science. https://www.popsci.com/technology/water-strider-micro-bug-robots/?fbclid=IwAR0UEkLKZT5ZlbSuX6ASYg0ZD-AOSOCQpt_Clj0piotYgv8WGVC08sKmYw0

[4] A new 1-mg fast unimorph SMA-Based actuator for microrobotics. (2023, October 1). IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10342518