Scientists from Stanford have developed a series of super-small, super strong robots–including this one, that can haul up to 52 pounds, despite weighing less than half an ounce. That’s like you pulling a blue whale.
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.