Cockroach robots can bear a million times more weight

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, developed micro-robots that are lighter than sand grains but can bear the weight of an adult.

The 3cm and 1.5cm wide robot model designed by the US team can crawl on the floor just like real cockroaches, promising a great support for future search and rescue thanks to the ability of wool. into the narrow slits. The results are published in Scientific Robotics July 31.

The robot model 3cm long and 1.5cm wide can crawl on the floor just like real cockroaches.

Cockroach robots are made of reshaping materials under the effect of piezoelectric effects. To control this reaction, the researchers coated a layer of elastic polymer outside the PVDF resin, making the material bend instead of expanding or contracting.

The robot's insect-like properties are enhanced when adding "legs" to help the device move forward. The robot can pass 20 times the distance of the body every second, supposedly the fastest among these robots. Although very light, it can bear a million times more weight.

"Most of such small robots are very fragile. If you step on it, the robot will definitely be badly destroyed. We found that if you press on the cockroach robot, it still works," said Liwei Lin, professor. Mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, said.

According to Yichuan Wu, assistant professor at China University of Electronic Science and Technology, co-author of the study, explains if earthquakes occur, bulky machines or large dogs are difficult to get under the broken bricks. to find survivors. Therefore, small-sized robots need to operate fast and durable.

Test the weight tolerance of cockroach robots.(Video: Science Magazine).

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