Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan have created the world’s smallest fully programmable autonomous robots, each smaller than a grain of salt.

These tiny robots can sense their environment, respond to it, and move in complex patterns using minimal energy powered by light, with durability that allows them to operate for months in liquid.

The robots use an onboard computer to perform programmed tasks, such as measuring temperature or mapping spaces, communicating data through tiny “wiggle” movements.

Potential applications include medical uses like monitoring or retrieving tissue in the body, as well as precise manufacturing tasks such as etching and electroplating, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

Initially costing about $10 each to produce, the researchers estimate mass production could reduce their cost to just a penny, opening the door to many unimagined applications.