In use, the robot could be used in medical applications but making one as agile – and disposable - as this one has proved challenging.
According to its developers from MIT and TU Munich, the sheet weighs 0.31g, spans 1.7cm square in size, features a cubic neodymium magnet, and can be thermally activated to self-fold. They add that since the robot has asymmetric body balance along the sagittal axis, the robot can walk at a speed of 3.8 body-length/s being remotely controlled by an alternating external magnetic field.
Developed models include an acetone-degradable version, which allows the entire robot’s body to vanish in a liquid.
Shuhei Miyashita, Steven Guitron, Cynthia R. Sung, and Daniela Rus from MIT and Marvin Ludersdorfer TU Munich describe how they developed with robot in a paper titled: An untethered miniature origami robot that self-folds, walks, swims, and degrades.
Five ways to prepare for your first day
If I may add my own personal Tip No. 6 it goes something like this: From time to time a more senior member of staff will start explaining something...