New research shows how inkjet-printing technology can be used to mass-produce electronic circuits made of liquid-metal alloys for ‘soft robots’ and flexible electronics.
Robots clean rivers and sort waste, monitor ecosystems, and inspect renewable-energy infrastructure. But even the greenest robot has an environmental footprint.
EPFL engineers have designed acoustic cavities that convert sound waves into thrust, propelling small robots and ultralight aerial vehicles without on-board actuators or electronics.