The advancement in stimulus-sensitive polymers has presented a multitude of material-based prospects for the latest small-sized, remotely operated soft-bodied robots. Engineers have been using these materials to fabricate small robots capable of walking, swimming, and jumping. However, the creation of flying robots using these materials remains a challenge.
The Light Robots group at Tampere University is exploring ways to make smart materials fly. Group leader Hao Zeng and doctoral researcher Jianfeng Yang have designed a project named "FAIRY" (Flying Aero-robots based on Light Responsive Materials Assembly) to tackle this challenge. The team has created a polymer-based robot that can fly using wind power and is controlled using light.
Hao Zeng states that the artificial seed they have created is better than its natural counterparts. It has a soft actuator made of light-responsive liquid crystalline elastomer that opens or closes the bristles when exposed to visible light.
Tinkerbell Robots
The artificial fairy created by Zeng and Yang has many biomimetic qualities. Its high porosity (0.95) and lightweight (1.2 mg) structure allow it to effortlessly float in the air and be directed by the wind. Additionally, its ability to generate a stable vortex ring enables it to travel long distances with wind assistance. Zeng mentions that the fairy can be operated and controlled using light, such as a laser beam or LED.
This means that light can be utilized to alter the shape of the small, dandelion seed-like structure, enabling the fairy to adjust to wind direction and force by adjusting its shape. Light can also control the fairy's take-off and landing actions. Next, the researchers plan to enhance the material's sensitivity to operate under sunlight. They also aim to increase the size of the structure so it can carry micro-electronic devices such as GPS and sensors, as well as biochemical substances.
Zeng believes that the possibilities for this technology are far-reaching. He says that although it may seem like science fiction, their experiments as proof of concept show that their development is a crucial step towards practical applications, including artificial pollination, as he stated in an official statement.
For their artificial fairy, Hao Zeng and Jianfeng Yang got inspired by dandelion seeds.
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The FAIRY Project
In the future, millions of artificial dandelion seeds carrying pollen could be spread by the wind and directed towards specific areas with trees in need of pollination using light. Zeng emphasizes that this technology could greatly impact agriculture worldwide as the decline of pollinators due to climate change is becoming a significant threat to biodiversity and food production.
The study's analysis entitled "Dandelion-Inspired, Wind-Dispersed Polymer-Assembly Controlled by Light" by Hao Zeng, Jianfeng Yang, Alex Berdin, Wenqi Hu, and Hang Zhang was reported in the journal Advanced Science last Dec. 27, 2022. Furthermore, several challenges still need to be addressed, such as how to control the landing spot accurately and how to make the devices reusable and biodegradable.
These problems necessitate close collaboration with materials scientists and those in the field of micro-robotics. The FAIRY project started in September 2021 and will continue until August 2026, funded by the Academy of Finland. It is being researched in collaboration with Dr. Wenqi Hu from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany and Dr. Hang Zhang from Aalto University.
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