Miniature robots could solve many problems in the future, from surgery to engineering. But before we can put them to work, we need to figure out a way to control such small machines. The key to this may be found in a tiny remote-controlled crab.
Created by engineers at Northwestern University in America, the crab is the smallest remote-controlled robot to ever walk around. It’s half a millimetre across, small enough to stand on the edge of a coin. Despite this, it’s able to walk, turn and even jump when directed.
The robot is made of a material that changes between two different shapes, depending on its temperature. When a laser is pointed at a part of the crab, such as its leg, that part heats up and bends. Heating different parts in different orders determines how the robot will move.
This technique will be able to build robots in practically any shape. So why a crab? Simple – the engineers thought it was fun.
Lachlan Writes Science 