近日，美国华盛顿州立大学的科学家们成功研制出迄今为止已知的最小、最轻、最快的全功能微型机器人。这款机器人以昆虫为模型，分别是一个迷你虫子和一个迷你水黾机器人，它们的体重分别为8毫克和55毫克，能够以每秒6毫米的速度移动。这一突破性的成果有望为人工授粉、搜救、环境监测、微型制造或机器人辅助手术等领域带来革命性的影响。
研究团队表示，这两款微型机器人的“秘密武器”是能使其移动的微型致动器。借助新的制造技术，他们将致动器小型化到重量不足1毫克，是迄今已知为微型机器人开发的最小、移动速度最快的致动器。这种致动器使用的材料是形状记忆合金，这种材料在加热时会改变形状。与移动机器人一般使用的电机不同，这些合金不包含任何移动部件或旋转部件。形状记忆合金通常不用于大型机器人运动，因为它们太慢了。致动器由两条直径为1/1000英寸的微小形状记忆合金线制成，只要有少量的电流，电线就可以很容易地加热和冷却，使机器人能够以每秒40次的速度拍打鳍或移动脚。在初步测试中，该致动器还能够举起150倍于其自身重量的重物。
这款微型机器人的研发对于未来科技发展具有重要意义。首先，它们的体积小巧，便于携带和部署，可以应用于诸多特殊场景，如狭窄空间的探测和救援。其次，它们的速度快，可以在短时间内完成任务，提高工作效率。此外，由于采用了形状记忆合金作为驱动力，这些微型机器人具有很高的智能化程度，可以根据环境变化自动调整行动方式。
当然，这款微型机器人还面临着一些挑战。例如，如何确保其安全性和可靠性，以及如何降低成本以实现大规模应用等。但无论如何，这无疑是科技进步的一个重大突破，值得我们期待更多类似的创新成果。
英语如下：
Title: “Washington State University Scientists Develop 8-mg Microrobots, Which May Change the Future of Technology”
Keywords: microrobots, insect model, actuator
Recently, scientists at Washington State University in the United States have successfully developed the smallest, lightest, and fastest fully functional microrobots known so far. The robots are based on an insect model, a mini-worm and a mini-water bug robot, weighing 8 mg and 55 mg respectively, which can move at a speed of 6 mm per second. This breakthrough achievement is expected to bring revolutionary effects to fields such as artificial pollination, search and rescue, environmental monitoring, microfabrication, or robot-assisted surgery.
The research team said that the “secret weapon” of these two microrobots is their microactuators, which enable them to move. With new manufacturing technology, they have miniaturized the actuator to a weight of less than 1 mg, making it the smallest and fastest moving actuator ever developed for microrobots. The material used for this actuator is shape memory alloy, which changes its shape when heated. Unlike motors commonly used to move robots, these alloys do not contain any moving or rotating parts. Shape memory alloys are not usually used for large-scale robot movement because they are too slow. The actuator consists of two tiny lines of shape memory alloy with a diameter of 1/1000 inches. As long as there is a small amount of current, the wires can be easily heated and cooled, allowing the robot to beat its fins or move its legs at a rate of 40 times per second. In preliminary tests, the actuator was also able to lift objects 150 times its own weight.
The development of this microrobot is of great significance for the future development of technology. Firstly, they are small and easy to carry and deploy, suitable for many special scenarios, such as detection and rescue in narrow spaces. Secondly, they move quickly and can complete tasks in a short time, improving work efficiency. In addition, due to the use of shape memory alloy as the driving force, these microrobots have high intelligence and can automatically adjust their actions according to changes in the environment.
Of course, these microrobots still face some challenges. For example, how to ensure their safety and reliability, and how to reduce costs to achieve mass application. But no matter what happens, this is undoubtedly a major breakthrough in technological progress and deserves our expectation for more similar innovative achievements.
【来源】https://www.ithome.com/0/746/349.htm
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