China’s Northwestern Polytechnical University develops world’s first miniature soft robot capable of operating at -50°C

Northwestern Polytechnical University, together with City University of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, on Thursday announced that it had developed the world’s first miniature soft robot capable of autonomous operation in extreme cold, including temperatures of -50°C (-58°F). The robot uses a new polyvinyl chloride–based electroactive polymer enhanced with vinyl acetate, enabling low-voltage actuation, strong electro-adhesion, and controllable self-heating, according to the team. Operating at 72.5 volts, it can perform tasks such as melting ice layers and inspecting narrow spaces. The team said it is already used in aircraft engine blade inspection and cold-region resource exploration, and expects the robot to provide a solution for extreme environments such as polar expeditions and deep-space exploration. [Northwestern Polytechnical University, in Chinese]