And we're not talking about Wall-E. For now, it doesn't really have a name either but we can call it a "micro-bristle-bot" because it's very tiny, measuring only two millimeters long. What's most special about it is what it can do.
Unlike many robots, which run on electricity, this bot is powered by vibrations. Built in a four- or six-legged configuration, it’s 3D-printed with a super tiny actuator. When the frequency is perfectly in-tune with the robot’s onboard components, the device comes to life. That also means it won’t move from random sounds in the environment—the robot only responds to a single perfect pitch.
The team from Georgia Institute Technology built the micro-bristle-bot and says that these tiny robots could one day be programmed or even "coordinated to move together like a swarm of ants", similar to how Ant-Man communicates with and makes ants do his bidding. But there are other ways to make use of this technology.
The research team imagines them working as environmental sensors, or even making their way into the human body to repair tissues. Because they’re small, fast, and require no battery or other electricity, they are particularly well-suited for extreme environments like the human body.
(Image credit: Allison Carter/Georgia Tech)
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