Sci Robot June 2021 PMID 34193563

Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control.

Jiaming Liang, Yichuan Wu, Justin K Yim, Huimin Chen, Zicong Miao, Hanxiao Liu, Ying Liu, Yixin Liu, Dongkai Wang, Wenying Qiu, Zhichun Shao, Min Zhang, Xiaohao Wang, Junwen Zhong, Liwei Lin

Mentions

38
Peak: 4 in Jul 2021
across 4 sources since Jul 2021

Extended reach

299,961
potential audience

Total likes

702

Video views

249,549

Mentions per month

Jul 2021 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

  • News27 articles
  • Blogs5 articles
  • X / Twitter4 posts
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions emphasize the novel aspects of the research, such as the use of electrostatic footpads and the robot's agility, with comments like 'enabling high mobility' and 'potential for practical environmental tasks.' The tone is enthusiastic and highlights the transformative nature of the findings, indicating high interest and engagement, alongside recognition of its significant future impact.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions highlight the innovative use of electrostatic footpads and their potential to revolutionize soft robotics, reflecting strong agreement with the significance of the research.

InterestHigh interest

The mentions of high mobility, environmental monitoring, and practical applications demonstrate a high level of curiosity and engagement with the topic.

EngagementHigh engagement

Posts include technical references to the curved piezoelectric films, trajectory control, and potential real-world uses, indicating deep engagement.

ImpactHigh impact

Several discussions suggest this research could impact the future of soft robotics and environmental monitoring, emphasizing its transformative potential.

Abstract in brief

  • The study introduces an insect-scale soft robot that uses a curved piezoelectric film for fast straight-line movements and electrostatic footpads for quick rotations, achieving a high acceleration of 28 body lengths per second², which surpasses many real insects.
  • The robot demonstrated precise navigation through complex mazes, carrying sensors to map gas concentrations and locate leaks, showing its potential for practical tasks like environmental monitoring.
  • By simplifying the control design, the researchers scaled up the robot to a heavier, untethered version capable of following longer, more complex paths, proving that high mobility and agility can be maintained even with added payloads.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Francis Villatoro
@emulenews · X

#ScienceRobotics Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control https://t.co/l1VkB6OG9f a curved piezoelectric thin film driven at its structural resonant frequency is used as the main body of an insect-scale soft robot. https://t.co/Kpd4yihEz2

Jul 8, 2021 · 4 likes · 45,129 followers View post →
Keita Masui
@keita_masui · X

@verge @CornellNews @dglab_official @NMonl @beyohealth @NIKKEIxTECH @BostonDynamics @DARPA @MoriHiroki @MDPIOpenAccess @PurdueUnivNews @NipponZaidan @VerbSurgical @jjvincent @atmizu @yokokiriyama @FierceBiotech @FierceElectron ネコ型もとい昆虫型ロボットが生み出す未来 https://t.co/qIZEgHx2mS Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control https://t.co/g8qBRFqW63

Jul 17, 2021 · 1 like · 4,259 followers View post →
Dataemia
@Dataemia · X

(Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control) https://t.co/BGjU3BGQ98

Jul 2, 2021 · 966 followers View post →
Artificial Muscles -Smart Materials -Soft Robotics
@Musclebotics · X

Soft robots are finding their way to high-integration robotic systems, which allows amazing insect-scale soft robots like this one!!!! Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control https://t.co/A7dBhPPImE

Jul 7, 2021 · 59 followers View post →

All mentions

Keita Masui
@keita_masui · X

@verge @CornellNews @dglab_official @NMonl @beyohealth @NIKKEIxTECH @BostonDynamics @DARPA @MoriHiroki @MDPIOpenAccess @PurdueUnivNews @NipponZaidan @VerbSurgical @jjvincent @atmizu @yokokiriyama @FierceBiotech @FierceElectron ネコ型もとい昆虫型ロボットが生み出す未来 https://t.co/qIZEgHx2mS Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control https://t.co/g8qBRFqW63

Jul 17, 2021 · 1 like · 4,259 followers View post →
Francis Villatoro
@emulenews · X

#ScienceRobotics Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control https://t.co/l1VkB6OG9f a curved piezoelectric thin film driven at its structural resonant frequency is used as the main body of an insect-scale soft robot. https://t.co/Kpd4yihEz2

Jul 8, 2021 · 4 likes · 45,129 followers View post →
Artificial Muscles -Smart Materials -Soft Robotics
@Musclebotics · X

Soft robots are finding their way to high-integration robotic systems, which allows amazing insect-scale soft robots like this one!!!! Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control https://t.co/A7dBhPPImE

Jul 7, 2021 · 59 followers View post →
Dataemia
@Dataemia · X

(Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control) https://t.co/BGjU3BGQ98

Jul 2, 2021 · 966 followers View post →