Tiny robots move like caterpillars, powered by light

What if robots could be powered by light instead of bulky battery packs or movement-limiting power cables? That's the scenario that scientists at the University of Warsaw are envisioning. Researchers have developed a half-inch-long so-called soft robot that mimics the movements of a caterpillar. It's powered by light and controlled by a laser beam, according to the university. "Designing soft robots calls for a completely new paradigm in their mechanics, power supply and control," said Piotr Wasylczyk, head of the Photonic Nanostructure Facility at the University of Warsaw, in a statement.