Serrated tail helps microrobot push enormous load
3D-printed catalytic channels furnish microrobot with enough strength to steer object 6500 times its own weight
Scientists in China and Hong Kong have created a tiny tugboat that can push an object 6500 times heavier than itself. Key to the microrobot’s power, which has a speed–mass ratio larger than that of a supersonic aircraft, is a serrated tail designed to maximise the interface between the robot and its environment.