Bow down to the light: Light-triggered microscale robotic arm makes bending and stretching motions
Monday, November 21, 2011 - 15:02
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- As miniaturization progresses, microrobots and nanomachines have moved beyond the realm of pure speculation. This technology requires tiny components that can respond to stimulation by undergoing controlled movements. Piezoelectric crystals are known to make a bending motion when subjected to an electric field, however the cables required are a barrier to microscale applications or those in liquids. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a research team led by Masahiro Irie at Rikkyo University (Tokyo, Japan) has now introduced a cable-free microrobotic arm that can be triggered to bend and stretch by light.