Microrobot Swarms Achieve Ant-Like Coordination for Heavy Lifting and Medical Tasks

South Korean researchers develop magnetic microrobots capable of collaborative feats, from transporting heavy objects to navigating confined spaces for potential medical applications.

• Scientists in South Korea have created cube-shaped microrobots, each 600 micrometers tall, that work together under a rotating magnetic field to perform complex tasks.
• The robots demonstrated the ability to climb obstacles five times their height, form floating rafts, and transport objects up to 2,000 times their individual weight.
• Applications include potential minimally invasive medical uses, such as unblocking blood vessels and delivering drugs to targeted locations in the human body.
• The robots are produced using a cost-effective mass production method, ensuring uniformity in geometry and magnetic properties for reliable performance.
• Future research aims to enhance the autonomy of these microrobots, enabling them to navigate complex environments without external magnetic control.

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