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Scientists create 1st light-powered microrobot to swim through sticky mucus | The first light-driven, toroidal micro-robot capable of autonomous movement in viscous liquids has been designed.


The newly developed tiny robot is powered by a special synthetic material called liquid crystalline elastomer.

For instance, E. coli bacteria utilize a corkscrew-like motion, cilia move in synchronized waves, and flagella employ a whip-like beating to navigate their tough surroundings. For instance, this innovation could be used for drug transportation through physiological mucus and unblocking blood vessels after the miniaturization of the device,” said Zixuan Deng, a doctoral researcher at Tampere University and the study’s first author. “Our innovation enables three-dimensional free swimming in the Stokes regime and opens up new possibilities for exploring confined spaces, such as microfluidic environments.

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