Scientists have harnessed the power of humidity to create self-locomotive microrobots called hygrobots. This actuator-ratchet system was inspired by motile plants and uses a hygroscopic-responsive film of aligned nanofibers that swell and shrink in response to changes in humidity.
As the relative humidity of the surrounding air oscillates between 20 and 85%, the structure of the bilayer actuator abruptly changes. Directional ratcheted locomotion is achieved because of differences in the friction coefficients of the end tip and knee of the legs.
Source: https://goo.gl/qTY9xK (Science Robotics)
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