The new microbot inspired by starfish larva stirs up plastic beads. (Image: Cornel Dillinger/ETH Zurich)
The new microbot inspired by starfish larva stirs up plastic beads. (Image: Cornel Dillinger/ETH Zurich) - Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a tiny robot that mimics the movement of a starfish larva. It is driven by sound waves and equipped with tiny hairs that direct the fluid around it, just like its natural model. In the future, such microswimmers could deliver drugs to diseased cells with pinpoint accuracy. Among scientists, there is great interest in tiny machines that are set to revolutionise medicine. These microrobots, often only a fraction of the diameter of a hair, are made to swim through the body to deliver medication to specific areas and perform the smallest surgical procedures. The designs of these robots are often inspired by natural microorganisms such as bacteria or algae.
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