Tiny Robots Manage To Pull A Two Ton Car; But How?

By Irwin

Updated: Thursday, March 17, 2016, 13:39 [IST]

Technology has advanced multiple folds compared to the last few years. Robots are beginning to be human-like and cars will soon drive by themselves. So what is happening at the present? One interesting tech that caught our attention are tiny robots.

uBots from the Stanford university have proved to the world that size does NOT matter. They managed to tow a two ton car using tiny robots that weigh a few grams each. How is that even possible? Let's find out.

Tiny Robots Manage To Pull A Two Ton Car; But How?

The tiny robots are made to imitate gecko lizards. They have sticky feet, that helps them get a firm grip on the ground. The sticky feet can also detach easily, helping them walk ahead.

In previous experiments, the tiny robot was used to lift objects much heavier than themselves up walls. They were also made to drag coffee cups, and they were able to move or carry objects that were 100 times their weight.

Researchers got the idea by looking at ants. Ants can boost their energy by using three out of six legs and also, working as a team to pull heavy objects turned out to be very effective.

Working together as a team, enables the tiny robots to gather a force of around 200 Newtons, which is enough to pull something as heavy as two tons, a car in this case.

A robot that weighs just 9 grams can lift or pull something as heavy as a kilogram and robots that weigh just 20 milligram can lift something as heavy as 500 milligram, say for example a paper clip.

The most expensive robot made by the Stanford University is the 12 gram robot that can move objects that are 2000 times its weight. That is the equivalent of a human being moving a Blue Whale.