Robotic Embodied Energy Photoresponsive fuel carrier molecules provide energy storage and on-demand release for robotic embodied energy design. Carrier molecules undergo bond scission under UV light to release chemical fuel and locally generate propulsive Marangoni flows. In their Research Article (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202520447), Hyungwoo Kim, Abdon Pena-Francesch, and co-workers demonstrate this photochemical embodied energy strategy in small-scale robots and active matter systems, enabling micropumps, particle manipulation, and untethered microrobot control.
Huang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.