A research team from Tsinghua University in Beijing has developed the world’s smallest untethered micro-robot capable of both land and aerial movement, marking a breakthrough in robotics. Reminiscent of characters from the “Transformers” franchise, this tiny robot significantly improves environmental adaptability through its ability to morph and lock into various shapes in real time.
Measuring just 9 centimeters in length and weighing only 25 grams, the robot is powered by a newly developed thin-film actuator that allows it to continuously change its shape and hold specific forms. The innovative work has been published in Nature Machine Intelligence, a leading scientific journal.
Zhang Yihui from Tsinghua’s School of Aerospace Engineering explained that the actuator functions as a “morphable exoskeleton,” integrating sensors, motors, and other functional components to create complex robotic systems. It can be electrically controlled to take on and maintain virtually any shape—something that was difficult to achieve with previous small-scale technologies.
Using this actuator and a LEGO-inspired design approach, the team built a micro-robot capable of agile flight and ground mobility, reaching speeds of up to 1.6 meters per second. They also developed a 4.5 cm-tall, 0.8 gram “mini-Transformer” robot and a multifunctional wheeled robot that can switch between “sports car,” “flying car,” and “van” modes.
Inspired by grasshoppers and other insects, the researchers incorporated biological forms and motion into their designs. The technology holds promise for applications in equipment diagnostics, geological surveys, and hazardous environment operations. It may also be used in bioelectronic devices, including deployable implantable medical tools and VR/AR haptic interfaces.