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3D printed origami robots that crawl and grab when activated by magnets

Magnetic shape-shifters

A team at MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have created a set of foldable, 3D printed robots that are doped with magnetic particles that are precisely aligned during printing; when triggered by a control-magnet they engage in precise movements: grabbing, jumping, rolling, squeezing, etc.

The anticipated uses are biomedical: guiding devices through the digestive tract or selectively clamping blood vessels, for example.

MIT Engineers Design Responsive 3D-Printed Structures Remotely Controlled by Magnets [Colossal]

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