Materials move without Motors or Hands | Self-propulsion | Autonomously jumping polymer shell

Imagine a rubber band that was capable of snapping itself many times over, or a small robot that could jump up a set of stairs propelled by nothing more than its own energy.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have discovered how to make materials that snap and reset themselves, only relying upon energy flow from their environment.

The discovery may prove useful for various industries that want to source movement sustainably, from toys to robotics, and is expected to further inform our understanding of how the natural world fuels some types of movement.

Credit: UMass Amherst Credit: UMass Amherst / Nature

Research paper: Autonomous snapping and jumping polymer gels https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-020-00909-w

News source: https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/umass-amherst-researchers-discover

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