The discovery of stimuli-responsive polymers has brought forth a multitude of material-related prospects for next-generation small-scale, wirelessly controlled soft-bodied robots. For some time now, engineers have understood how to employ these materials to construct miniature robots that can walk, swim and leap. So yet, no one has been able to make them fly.
Researchers of the Light Robots group at Tampere University are presently studying ways to make smart material fly. Hao Zeng, Academy Research Fellow and the group head, and Jianfeng Yang, a doctorate researcher, have come up with a novel design for their project named FAIRY—Flying Aero-robots based on Light Responsive Materials Assembly. They have constructed a polymer-assembly robot that flies by wind and is controlled by light.
“Superior to its natural counterparts, this artificial seed is fitted with a soft actuator. The actuator is comprised of light-responsive liquid crystalline elastomer, which generates opening or shutting motions of the bristles upon visible light stimulation,” says Hao Zeng.
The artificial fairy is controlled by light
The artificial fairy designed by Zeng and Yang has various biomimetic properties. Because of its high porosity (0.95) and lightweight (1.2 mg) construction, it may readily float in the air guided by the wind. What is more, a stable separated vortex ring creation permits long-distance wind-assisted transportation.
“The fairy may be powered and controlled by a light source, such as a laser beam or LED,” Zeng explains.
This implies that light may be utilised to modify the form of the small dandelion seed-like structure. The fairy may react manually to wind direction and force by altering its form. A laser beam may also be employed to regulate the take-off and landing movements of the polymer assembly.
Potential application prospects in agriculture
Next, the researchers will work on enhancing the material sensitivity to permit the functioning of the gadget under sunlight. In addition, they will up-scale the structure so that it may hold micro-electronic devices such as GPS and sensors as well as biological molecules.
According to Zeng, there is potential for much more substantial uses.
“It seems like science fiction, but the proof-of-concept trials included in our study indicate that the robot we have built represents a crucial step towards actual applications appropriate for artificial pollination,” he adds.
In the future, millions of artificial dandelion seeds carrying pollen might be scattered freely by natural winds and then led by light into specified places with trees awaiting pollination.
“This would have a tremendous effect on agriculture worldwide as the decline of pollinators due to global warming has become a severe danger to biodiversity and food supply,” Zeng adds.
Challenges continue to be solved
However, several difficulties need to be overcome first. For example, how to manage the landing site in a precise manner, and how to reuse the devices and make them biodegradable? These difficulties demand close coordination with materials scientists and individuals working on microrobotics. The FAIRY project began in September 2021 and will run through August 2026. The flying robot is investigated in partnership with Dr. Wenqi Hu from Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (Germany) and Dr. Hang Zhang from Aalto University.
The study, “Dandelion-Inspired, Wind-Dispersed Polymer-Assembly Controlled by Light,” by Jianfeng Yang, Hang Zhang, Alex Berdin, Wenqi Hu and Hao Zeng, was published in Advanced Science on Dec. 27 in 2022.
You might also be interested in reading, AI contributes to the identification of very tight-binding antibodies
