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Algae-powered soft robot arm uses light to grasp and lift small objects
Tiny underwater algae sway gently in the current. All of a sudden, a light shines on them and they form robotlike arms that start to pick up small rocks and put them in floating baskets.
AI Summary
Researchers at Delft University of Technology have built a tiny soft robot arm whose surface is coated with microalgae that activates when illuminated. The light‑driven actuator, described as a green strip composed of two hydrogel layers, can bend reversibly and use its algae‑powered “arms” to grasp and lift small rocks into floating baskets. The proof‑of‑concept device was detailed in a Nature Communications paper, with lead researcher Marie‑Eve Aubin‑Tam highlighting its biodegradable, light‑responsive design.
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