Scientists at Westlake University in China have developed a remarkable soft robot that can be controlled by light. This tubular robot has the ability to pump liquids, unscrew bolts, and even navigate through pipes.

Inspired by nature, the robot can also flex and bend towards a light source, much like a plant leaning towards the sun, The New Scientist reported.

The functioning of this robot is based on a fascinating phenomenon observed in certain materials. When exposed to light, these materials experience changes in energy that cause them to expand or contract.

Leveraging this principle, Jiu-an Lv and his team created prototypes of a soft robot composed of a 15 to 40 millimeter-long tube.

To achieve this, the researchers wound filaments of a light-sensitive elastic material into a configuration inspired by the intricate arrangement of muscle fibers in an elephant’s trunk.

Similar to an elephant’s versatile trunk that can assume various shapes by contracting specific muscle fibers, the robot’s fibers respond to light rather than electrical signals from a central controller.

By illuminating the robot with light of different frequencies and intensities, it can be molded into different shapes and perform a range of tasks.

Written by staff