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Chinese scientists have developed a robotic system inspired by an ant colony that can collectively perform complex tasks, such as collecting large prey.
The study published Wednesday in the journal Science Robotics described the fleet of nanobots that had a potential for diagnosis and treatment in the body, at the cellular level, or even molecular.
Xie Hui, a professor at the Harbin Institute of Technology, who led the study, told Xinhua that a robot had a diameter of two micrometers, 40 times smaller than one hair, and therefore able to cross blood capillaries.
According to the study, peanut-shaped iron microbots can be powered by an alternating magnetic field, thus offering great flexibility to perform multiple tasks at the same time in a confined environment.
By tuning the frequency of the rotating magnetic field and its polarization in a three-dimensional space, the researchers obtained a series of well-controlled, fast and reversible transformations, said Xie.
These formations include liquid, chain, vortex and ribbon. They can form narrow paths or channels to deliver heavy loads exceeding the capabilities of a single robot.
Xie said that the robotic swarm could be used to identify and attack pathological cells or even stay inside the body for future health surveillance, thus providing a new tool for detection and treatment at an early stage.
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