Junfeng Gao is the lead author of The 2021 StudyThe press release, published in Advanced Materials Technologies, said that the robot bug will be able navigate difficult terrain and other areas not accessible to humans. This information is critical to understanding the physical environment. Gao said, “These robots could be used to access confined areas for imaging or environmental evaluation, take water samples, or perform structural evaluations,” (via EurekAlert!).
Dr. Ravi Shankar is a professor of industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. WebMD).
Scientists hope to improve the robot’s capabilities in the future and further reduce its size. WebMD reports that if the robot-like bug can be reduced to a mere millimeter in size, it could be used to perform surgical procedures such as tissue repair or blood cell entry within the body. Researchers believe that the robot could also be used to transport miniature medical equipment to those in need.