A major bottleneck in soft robotics has been the pumps: while the robots themselves can be flexible and lightweight, the systems powering them have remained bulky and rigid, tethering most designs to stationary equipment. Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a solution — a miniature pump called LIMA (Liquid Metal Magnetohydrodynamic Actuator) that weighs just 0.2 grams, operates at less than 0.1 volts, and is small enough to sit on a pea. Instead of mechanical components, the pump uses a droplet of liquid metal suspended in a soft channel. A magnetic field and a tiny electric current generate a Lorentz force that causes the droplet to oscillate, displacing surrounding fluid and creating a pumping action — with no rigid moving parts. The team demonstrated the technology in three prototypes: a robotic butterfly whose wings flap entirely via fluid power from the pump, a color-changing wearable bracelet, and a haptic fingertip interface that recreates touch sensations for potential use in VR and rehabilitation. Beyond power delivery, the flowing fluid could simultaneously carry drugs, sensing agents, or information signals through a soft robotic system — making LIMA not just a pump but potentially an integrated platform for power, control, and communication. The research is published in Nature Communications.
#Robotics #SoftRobotics #Engineering #Science #Innovation
