When it comes to robots, we envision giant machines capable of lifting a heavy truck or ship. But science began to develop along the path of decreasing technologies, not increasing them. Nanotechnology is considered one of the promising industries of the future. It is believed that with its help it will be possible to control anything, be it the weather or human health.
At the moment, a large number of scientists are working on the design of micro- and nanorobots. To keep abreast of the latest innovations in the world of microscopic technology, we present 10 smallest robots in the world.
Robot "Micro"
One of the smallest robots in the world is considered to be the invention of scientists from New Mexico. The micro can easily fit on a 5 kopeck coin. His height is only 1 centimeter, he moves due to track protectors, albeit very slowly.
The application is quite extensive, ranging from medicine to espionage. Now Micro is equipped with a thermal sensor and its own memory of 8 kb. The robot is considered autonomous, since its movement does not depend on the wires connected to it, power is supplied using a regular battery.
Micro is the prototype of future technologies due to its size. With the development of microcircuits and microprocessors, it will be able to perform more and more complex functions, and its speed will increase significantly. The main thing is that the invention does not fall into the wrong hands.
Sarah Bergbreiter's Robot
A scientist from the University of Maryland managed to create the smallest four-legged robotic robot. The control system of the invention is carried out using a magnetic field. Thanks to this, each part of it can move independently of the other.
Mainly the American military is interested in its application. The dimensions of Sarah's creation are suitable for carrying out espionage missions. However, scientists themselves have laid eyes on the four-legged baby, as it can help them push the boundaries of research. In the near future, Sarah Bergbreiter plans to reduce the size of her invention by 50 percent.
Roboameba
One of the smallest robots, which is almost all made from natural DNA components. Couplings and motor proteins are driven by ultraviolet light. The appearance is similar to the amoeba, from which the name followed.
Its shell is made of wax and fats called lipids. This is a special habitat suitable for the survival of internal organic engines. The robot itself is able to maintain life even at negative temperatures.
Roboameba also belongs to the inventions of biotechnology, as it combines two different scientific approaches. The creators believe that the robot can become the main source for the development of future technology. Mainly Roboumebu plans to use it in the field of medicine.
Loader robots
The invention of scientists from Stanford is aimed at transporting goods of colossal dimensions without involving human assistance. The robots that act as loaders weigh only about 10 grams. The secret of their strength is quantity.
One such robot can lift a load 1,500 times more than its weight, that is, a mass of 15 kilograms. And now one can only imagine, for example, how much 100 such babies can lift - an object weighing 1.5 tons. In other words, a team of such forklifts can easily move an average car.
Robovie-nano
Vstone has invented the smallest human-shaped robots. Their height does not exceed 15 centimeters. The power source of Japanese cars is carried out from conventional batteries or accumulators. The humanoid creature can perform over 6,000 different movements.
Mostly, Robovie-Nano is still used in the toy industry. In the future, thousands of such robots are planned to be combined into one intelligent network and provide them with the ability to learn, like, for example, a voice assistant from Yandex - Alice. This invention can be used as an educational toy for children.
Robobee
Developers at Harvard Institute have invented the world's smallest robot in the form of a bee. One of the most important functions of creation is to preserve the energy of a flying microscopic apparatus, since the charge of such devices is spent at a tremendous speed.
With the help of a special device that uses the effect of electrical adhesion, the bee is able to stick to any object, thereby conserving energy reserves. The invention uses the environment to increase its travel distance. However, while the problem of movement due to insufficient charge remains relevant.
Piccolissimo
Another smallest flying robot in the world from the creator Matt Piccoli. The scientist managed to solve the problem with the rapid depletion of Robobee's energy. The Piccolissimo is continuously charged with a special laser beam.
Its design consists of simple elements - a propeller and a processor that controls the device. The main field of application of the flying microscopic drone is the collection of data in case of emergencies using various sensors. Such use will allow humanity to reduce the death rate of rescuers.
Robot cockroach
European scientists in their laboratories have created the smallest robotic cockroaches 30 millimeters long. The main type of movement of the invention is specialized wheels. Machines can distinguish between insect behaviors.
When conducting experiments, scientists managed to influence the collective behavior of cockroaches. Due to their size and physiological properties, insects mistook the creation for an individual of their own kind. In the future, such miniature robots are planned to be used for a deeper study of the animal world.
Max Planck robot
The inventors of the German Max Planck Institute managed to create one of the smallest robots in the world. Its size does not exceed 1 millimeter, which is 10 times smaller than Micro. This is a fairly functional robot capable of moving freely on vertical and horizontal surfaces using a magnetic field.
Thanks to the rubber body under the influence of magnetic radiation, it can freely change its shape. The expected field of application of the invention is medicine. Due to its size, it can be used for diagnostics and examination of human organs with high accuracy.
Molecular Robot
The smallest robot was created by scientists from Manchester quite recently. Its size is barely one millionth of a millimeter. The invention is controlled by special chemical reactions.
It is made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen atoms. With it, you can transport the desired molecule to a specific location. A million of these robots will be like a grain of dust.
The scope of application of such devices is extensive, from production to medicine. They can easily influence the molecular component of a person and treat almost any disease.
Technological progress is an integral part of the future. Nobody knows what awaits us in 10, 20 or 100 years.The most important thing is that the robots created are used only for the benefit of humanity. But, given the experience of history, this is hard to believe.