A Soft Robot Can Carry 1,700 Times Its Own Weight
Engineers at the University of California, Davis have unveiled a tiny robot that moves without batteries, wires, or microchips. The experiment clearly demonstrates the concept of Mechanical Intelligence, where computation occurs through form and structure rather than electronics.
The robot’s structure is made of Liquid Crystal Elastomer, which bends when exposed to light, stores elastic energy, and then suddenly releases it, propelling the robot upward.
In the shade, the material cools and returns to its original position, allowing the cycle to repeat. During testing, the prototype completed 188 consecutive jumps. The robot was even able to carry a load 1,700 times its own weight.
In the future, such systems could be used to monitor fires, operate in collapsed structures, or work in areas contaminated by radiation. Researchers are also exploring adaptive clothing materials that can change their stiffness depending on environmental conditions.
