Tag: Microfluidics
-
3D-Printed Ciliary Hydrogel Microactuators Enable Low-Voltage Actuation
Reimagining Microactuation with Hydrogels Researchers are pushing the boundaries of soft robotics by developing micrometer-scale hydrogel actuators that respond to low voltage. Unlike traditional millimetre-scale hydrogels that rely on interfacial pH or osmotic gradients, these new microactuators exploit internal ion migration through nanometer-scale pores. The result is precise, lightweight, and energy-efficient motion at a scale…
-
3D-Printed Low-Voltage-Driven Ciliary Hydrogel Microactuators
Understanding the Rise of Microactuators in Soft Robotics Soft robotics has opened new avenues for manipulating tiny objects with flexible, compliant materials. Among the latest advances are micrometre-scale hydrogels that can mimic natural cilia—tiny, hair-like structures that move in coordinated waves. Unlike traditional millimetre-scale hydrogel systems, which rely on surface gradients to actuate, the newest…
-
Shape-Shifting Active Particles: Self-Propelling Microbots Inspired by Microorganisms
Introduction: A New Class of Shape-Shifting Microparticles Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have unveiled a remarkable new class of tiny, microorganism-inspired particles that can actively move and change shape in response to electrical fields. These shape-shifting, self-navigating particles, often described as active matter, behave in ways once thought possible only for living organisms.…
-
Shape-Shifting Microparticles Navigate Themselves
Shape-Shifting Microparticles: A Leap Toward Self-Propelled Microbots Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are advancing a frontier in micro-robotics by creating tiny, microorganism-inspired particles that can change shape and move autonomously in response to electrical fields. These shape-shifting active particles behave like living organisms in miniature, offering a glimpse into a future where micro-scale…
-
Cell-Sized Microrobots: Penny-Cost Tech with Big Medical Potential
Introduction: A Penny-Worthy Leap in Microrobotics In a development that sounds almost futuristic, researchers have created microrobots the size of a single cell that cost roughly one penny each. These tiny swimmers can be guided through fluid environments, respond to sensory cues, and perform tasks that were previously impossible at such a small scale. The…
-
Flagella-Free Bacteria Movement: Sugar Currents and Gearboxes
What’s new in bacterial movement For decades, scientists have described bacterial motion as a simple story of tiny propellers—the flagella—that propel single cells through liquids. But fresh research from Arizona State University is reshaping that narrative. The studies uncover how some bacteria can move without their flagella, harnessing sugar-fueled currents and intricate molecular gear systems…
-
Bacteria Without Flagella: Sugar Currents Move Cells
New Ways Bacteria Move: Beyond the Flagellum For decades, scientists have linked bacterial movement to the flagellum, the whip-like propeller that propels many microbes through liquid environments. Yet a wave of new research from Arizona State University shows that bacteria can glide, crowd, and disperse using mechanisms that do not rely on flagella. By harnessing…
-
Nanoparticle-Coated Fibres for Advanced Water Purification
Reimagining Household Water Filtration with Nanoparticle-Coated Fibres Water purification is a pressing challenge for homes, communities, and industries alike. Traditional microfibre-based filters already offer advantages: they trap germs, tolerate long use, and carry large amounts of contaminants. Now, a novel microfluidic coating technique is elevating their performance further by applying uniformly distributed nanoparticles to fibre…
-
The Breakthrough in Microfluidics: Sabrina Staples and Intussusceptive Angiogenesis
For months, Sabrina Staples, a dedicated PhD candidate, immersed herself in a world of cellular intricacies. Her workspace was a modest laboratory, cluttered with microscopes, Petri dishes, and a series of experimental setups designed to explore the uncharted territories of vascular biology. At the center of her research was a tiny silicone chip no larger…