Microscopic Robots that Sense, Think, Act and Compute

Here we show autonomous decision making in microscopic robots by incorporating computation, sensing, memory, locomotion, and communication. Comparable in size to a single-celled paramecium, each microrobot is digitally reprogrammed to autonomously execute arbitrary user-defined programs and change behavior in response to environmental changes. Namely, we explore thermotaxis: using sensor feedback to track temperature gradients by reconfiguring actuator states. Fabricated massively in parallel, we create approximately 1000 robots per $1. Further, the microrobots operate with standard microscopes and are reprogrammed with a python-based raspberry pi interface. These robots offer a unique combination of versatility, low-cost, ease of use, and on-board intelligence while being robust enough to undergo hours of testing without degrading. This work helps clear the way for the widespread adoption of robots too small to see with the naked eye.