Swiss Scientists Created Robotic Stingray With Flexible Body
Credit: ETH Zurich
Scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich) have developed a miniature soft robot, Stingraybot, that mimics the movements of a stingray. The robot, approximately 4 cm wide, swims using the undulating movements of its fins, similar to those of a real stingray. It is completely wireless, opening up broad prospects in medicine for research and patient treatment.
The robot measures 4 cm and is capable of swimming using the same wave-like movements of its wing-like pectoral fins as real rays. Crucially, it requires no batteries or remote control cables. Muscle flexion is achieved through ultrasound stimulation.
The developers created silicone membranes with tiny pores just a tenth of a millimeter deep (roughly the width of a human hair). When immersed in water, the micropores trap air in the form of tiny bubbles. By wirelessly transmitting ultrasound to the membranes, the researchers were able to manipulate them quickly and precisely. The robot responded to the stimulus within milliseconds of transmitting the signal.
In theory, the robot, folded into a capsule, could be swallowed by the patient and then spread its “membranous wings” in the intestines, delivering medications without surgery.
