Light-powered soft robot jumps 188 times without electronics

Researchers have developed an insect-scale soft robot that can perform 188 continuous jumps powered solely by light, without any electronic components such as batteries, processors, or motors. The robot is primarily made from liquid crystal elastomers, a rubber-like material that bends and contracts when exposed to light. This bending stores elastic energy in a curved beam structure, which then releases suddenly in a snap-through motion to propel the robot into the air. As the robot jumps, it casts a shadow on itself, blocking the light and allowing the material to cool and reset its shape, enabling a self-sustaining cycle of jumping driven purely by material physics and geometry. The robot’s durability and performance exceeded expectations, successfully carrying weights up to 1,700 times its own body weight without loss of function. This mechanism relies on a built-in control system created by the self-shadowing effect, eliminating the need for traditional circuitry. The research, co-authored by Wenzhong Yan of UC Davis, exemplifies the concept of