
A tiny robot with moves inspired by caterpillars and jellyfish - IntronExon
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/24/science/tiny-robot-medical.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fscience&action=click&contentCollection=science&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
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petermcneeley
Not a robot. However, definitely potential for a micro touchless manipulator .

"The scientists use external magnetic fields to exert torque on magnetic
particles embedded inside the soft elastomer body of the robot to change the
robot's body shape and steer it around."

[https://phys.org/news/2018-01-nature-inspired-soft-
millirobo...](https://phys.org/news/2018-01-nature-inspired-soft-millirobot-
enclosed-spaces.html)

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cornellwright
If this is not a robot, then what is a robot?

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danielbarla
Well, I think the argument is that you're looking at a tiny piece of a larger
equipment, which contains the power source and needs to manipulate this
smaller device using magnetic fields. So, probably the entire set of equipment
would be the robot.

While still very cool, I think the way it's presented here implies that the
little rubber part is autonomous in terms of power, muscles / actuation,
sensing and local planning capability, which is just not the case.

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regularfry
I think you'd have a hard time convincing people that
[https://www.istockphoto.com/gb/photo/industrial-robot-arm-
is...](https://www.istockphoto.com/gb/photo/industrial-robot-arm-isolated-on-
a-white-background-gm507266875-45772594?esource=SEO_GIS_CDN_Redirect) wasn't a
robot, but the same argument applies.

