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Scientists have come up with a robot that can detect sources of water pollution
Duke University presented a new development - a multifunctional dragonfly microrobot DraBot, which can glide on water without electronics on board. Its main function is to detect places with high acidity of groundwater and spills of harmful substances: be it oil spots or other chemicals.
The soft body of the robot is 5.7 cm in size. It consists of microchannels that are attached to silicone tubes. The movement of the robot is due to the flow of air into the wings through a silicone tube and the subsequent exit of the air flow through the holes at the back.
Scientists control the direction of the device thanks to the ability to block air flow in pneumatic drives. Engineer Ung Hyun Ko, who participated in the creation of the gadget, said that it took a lot of effort to develop a control system without the use of electronics.
To equip the robot, the team used their previous design, a self-healing hydrogel. The substance is sensitive to fluctuations in acidity. It creates new compounds within itself, which change places when the pH level returns to normal limits. When the device is in contact with an acidic environment, the hydrogel-coated front and hind wings merge into a single unit. As a result, DraBot starts moving in a circle instead of moving in a straight line. If the robot collides with oily liquids in water, then the sponges located in the structure of the device change their color.
At the moment, the researchers plan to modify the device by equipping it with onboard fuel. In addition, the project for the next version provides for the addition of more sensors and cameras. Thanks to innovations, the robot will be able to conduct a broader and more qualitative study of the water column.
Earlier OXO wrote: Listening to music for the brain is comparable to taking alcohol - neuroscientists
The soft body of the robot is 5.7 cm in size. It consists of microchannels that are attached to silicone tubes. The movement of the robot is due to the flow of air into the wings through a silicone tube and the subsequent exit of the air flow through the holes at the back.
Scientists control the direction of the device thanks to the ability to block air flow in pneumatic drives. Engineer Ung Hyun Ko, who participated in the creation of the gadget, said that it took a lot of effort to develop a control system without the use of electronics.
To equip the robot, the team used their previous design, a self-healing hydrogel. The substance is sensitive to fluctuations in acidity. It creates new compounds within itself, which change places when the pH level returns to normal limits. When the device is in contact with an acidic environment, the hydrogel-coated front and hind wings merge into a single unit. As a result, DraBot starts moving in a circle instead of moving in a straight line. If the robot collides with oily liquids in water, then the sponges located in the structure of the device change their color.
At the moment, the researchers plan to modify the device by equipping it with onboard fuel. In addition, the project for the next version provides for the addition of more sensors and cameras. Thanks to innovations, the robot will be able to conduct a broader and more qualitative study of the water column.
Earlier OXO wrote: Listening to music for the brain is comparable to taking alcohol - neuroscientists