Light Controlled Gel Gives Robots a Soft Touch

Jun-01-13 A new hydrogel that bends in response to light could have significant applications in the continued development of soft-robotics.

The gel was developed by a team from Berkeley, who were inspired by the process that causes plants to move toward or away from a light source. The team combined synthetic elastic proteins with sheets of graphene to form a gel with one side more porous than the other. The proteins absorb water when cooled and release it when heated, and the graphene generates heat when exposed to near infrared light. As the graphene heats up the proteins, water is released faster from one side of the gel than other, which causes the material to bend.

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[DVICE.COM]
[BERKELEY]

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