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Diodes Could Drive Swimming Micro-Robots

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the robot-parade dept.

finisterre writes "Diodes can be made to 'swim' through salt water by hitting them with an alternating electric field. The applied field induces a current that sets up a field between the diode's electrical contacts and creates a propulsive force. The abstract of the paper in Nature Materials is freely available. New Scientist has videos of the swimming diodes in action."

1 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Reading this before properly waking up... by ricky-road-flats · · Score: 4, Funny
    ... I read dildoes instead of diodes, and I can't even think of a joke for it.

    That's what I get for hitting Slashdot before the first morning coffee. Once I have that buzz I might be able to think of a punchline.