Tiny, Tumbling Origami Robots Could Help with Targeted Drug Delivery

A new kind of hollow, pea-sized robot can roll, flip and jump to navigate its surroundings. It can transition from dry surfaces to pools of liquid with ease, making it fully amphibious. Its ability to use different types of motion in multiple environments--while carrying a cargo--sets it apart from other wee machines, most of which can only move in a single way. The new bot's versatility also makes it uniquely adept at working its way through, over and around obstacles. One day its small size and multifunctionality might let it navigate the complex environment of a human body and deliver a targeted payload of medicine to a patient in need.