Self-Folding Minirobots Possible with Origami-Inspired Graphene

Origami-inspired graphene paper that can fold itself could be used to create anything from miniature robots to artificial muscles, according to a new study.

Scientists from Donghua University in China have demonstrated that gently heating a sheet of graphene paper, which is extraordinarily strong (about 200 times stronger than steel by weight), could make it fold into a device that is able to walk forward and backward. And, in a first for this kind of self-folding material, they showed it could also change directions.

The research could help scientists develop self-folding structures and devices for modern applications, including wirelessly controlled micro robots, artificial muscles and devices for tissue engineering, said Jiuke Mu, a Ph.D. student at Donghua University and one of the material’s inventors. [The 6 Strangest Robots Ever Created]

"In the near future, it even could bring changes to people's lives," Mu told Live Science, giving the example of smart clothing, "which could change its shape and style in response to body temperature, environmental changes or other gentle stimulations.”

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World's Tiniest Engines Could Power Microscopic Robots

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