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Miniature Robots Swim and Communicate Like Bees

1/29/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan developed the smallest fully programmable autonomous robots measuring 200 by 300 by 50 micrometers.
The robots swim via electrokinetics, moving with electric fields and no moving parts.
They operate on minimal power from tiny solar cells and sense their environment and decide.
Each robot communicates through wiggle patterns similar to bee signaling.

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Story summary

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan developed the smallest fully programmable autonomous robots measuring 200 by 300 by 50 micrometers.
The robots swim via electrokinetics, moving with electric fields and no moving parts.
They operate on minimal power from tiny solar cells and sense their environment and decide.
Each robot communicates through wiggle patterns similar to bee signaling.