Researchers have unveiled an innovative robotic “eye” that can automatically focus in response to light without requiring any external power source. This advanced lens, developed by a team from Georgia Institute of Technology, showcases remarkable sensitivity, enabling it to discern fine details, such as the hairs on an ant”s leg or the lobes of a pollen grain.
The creation of this soft, tunable lens represents a significant step towards “soft” robotics, potentially leading to machines with sophisticated vision capabilities that do not rely on traditional electronics or batteries. According to Zheng, the study”s first author and a doctoral student in biomedical engineering, these soft robots could be applied in various fields, from wearable technology to autonomous devices that navigate challenging environments.
Conventional robots typically utilize rigid sensors and electronic components for vision. In contrast, the soft robotic eye offers a new approach, emphasizing the need for innovative sensing techniques in softer robotics. The lens is constructed from a hydrogel that can transition between liquid and solid states, responding to temperature changes by either shrinking or swelling.
This hydrogel encases a silicon polymer lens in a ring-like structure, mimicking the anatomical configuration of the human eye. Tiny particles of graphene oxide embedded in the hydrogel absorb light. When exposed to sunlight-like intensity, these particles heat up, causing the hydrogel to shrink and adjust the lens”s focus. The lens relaxes when the light source is removed, allowing the hydrogel to swell.
Remarkably, this lens has demonstrated its ability to replace traditional glass lenses in light microscopes, allowing for the observation of intricate details, such as the gap between a tick”s claws and minute fungal filaments.
Excitingly, the researchers are now incorporating this lens into a microfluidic system comprising valves made from the same responsive hydrogel. This integration means that the light used for imaging can also power an autonomous camera system. Furthermore, the adaptable nature of the hydrogel may enable the lens to perceive beyond the human visual range, potentially mimicking the unique vision capabilities of animals like cats and cuttlefish.
