A small group of researchers at the Biomimetics and Dexterous Manipulation Laboratory at Stanford University have been exploring the limits of friction in the design of tiny robots. These robots have the immense ability to tug more than thousand times their own weight, just like ants.
The NYTimes reported that the researchers have taken their inspiration from tiny ants which work as teams to move massive objects hundred times their own weight and size. “By considering the dynamics of the team, not just the individual, we are able to build a team of our ‘microTug’ robots that, like ants, are superstrong individually, but then also work together as a team,” said David Christensen, a graduate student who is one of the authors of a research paper. The paper will be presented at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Stockholm this May.
