Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

16.9K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
16.9K
pH Scale02:41

pH Scale

79.0K
Hydronium and hydroxide ions are present both in pure water and in all aqueous solutions, and their concentrations are inversely proportional as determined by the ion product of water (Kw). The concentrations of these ions in a solution are often critical determinants of the solution’s properties and the chemical behaviors of its other solutes. Two different solutions can differ in their hydronium or hydroxide ion concentrations by a million, billion, or even trillion times. A common means of...
79.0K
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes02:58

Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes

30.7K
Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
30.7K
Power01:08

Power

12.9K
The concept of work involves force and displacement; meanwhile, the work-energy theorem relates the net work done on a body to the difference in its kinetic energy, calculated between two points on its trajectory. While none of these quantities or relations involves time explicitly, we know that the time available to accomplish work is often just as important as the amount of work itself. For example, sprinters in a race may have achieved the same velocity at the finish, therefore,...
12.9K
Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization01:25

Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization

4.8K
Crystallization is a phase transformation process in which crystals are precipitated from a supersaturated solution or formed from other sources. During crystallization, atoms or molecules arrange themselves into a well-defined, rigid crystal lattice to minimize energy.
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent...
4.8K
Sums of Power01:22

Sums of Power

58
In definite integration, Riemann sums approximate the area under a curve by dividing it into subintervals and summing the areas of rectangles. When these approximations follow predictable numerical patterns, such as arithmetic or polynomial sequences, sum formulas offer a more efficient and accurate way to compute the result. In particular, the sum of consecutive integers, squares, and cubes plays an essential role in simplifying these calculations, especially when dealing with uniform...
58

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Targeting the gut‒kidney axis for lupus nephritis treatment: multimechanism regulatory strategies and evidence from Traditional Chinese medicine.

Chinese medicine·2026
Same author

Multiplexed back focal plane imaging with on-chip integrated microlens array.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Prion-inhibition-like protein (PiP) governs Aspergillus flavus spore dormancy under postharvest drying stress: A novel target for aflatoxin mitigation in grain storage systems.

Food microbiology·2025
Same author

Clinical and genetic analysis of a family with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

Frontiers in neurology·2025
Same author

Predicting rheological properties of HAMA/GelMA hybrid hydrogels via machine learning.

Journal of the mechanical behavior of biomedical materials·2025
Same author

Isoquercitrin Alleviates Diabetic Nephropathy by Inhibiting STAT3 Phosphorylation and Dimerization.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
12:21

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

13.5K

A Millimeter-Scale Snail Robot Based on a Light-Powered Liquid Crystal Elastomer Continuous Actuator.

Mikołaj Rogóż1, Klaudia Dradrach1, Chen Xuan2,3

  • 1Photonic Nanostructure Facility, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, ul. Pasteura 5, 02-093, Warsaw, Poland.

Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|July 27, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a millimeter-scale soft robot that mimics snail locomotion using light-activated liquid crystal elastomers. This bio-inspired robot efficiently crawls on various surfaces and through obstacles, advancing soft robotics and understanding natural movement.

Keywords:
bioinspired roboticsliquid crystal elastomersphotoactuationsoft robots

More Related Videos

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
12:04

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

9.4K
Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 21, 2026

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites
12:21

Preparation of Monodomain Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Liquid Crystal Elastomer Nanocomposites

Published on: February 6, 2016

13.5K
Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators
12:04

Microfluidic Preparation of Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Actuators

Published on: May 20, 2018

9.4K
Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale
08:17

Free-form Light Actuators — Fabrication and Control of Actuation in Microscopic Scale

Published on: May 25, 2016

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Robotics
  • Materials Science
  • Biomimetics

Background:

  • Crawling locomotion using traveling deformation is common in nature, observed in organisms from nematodes to gastropods.
  • Gastropods, like snails, utilize mucus to facilitate efficient movement across diverse terrains.
  • Understanding and replicating natural locomotion mechanisms can inspire advancements in robotics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate a millimeter-scale soft crawling robot inspired by gastropod locomotion.
  • To investigate the robot's efficiency in various configurations and on different surfaces.
  • To explore the use of light-induced phase transitions in liquid crystal elastomers for robotic actuation.

Main Methods:

  • Fabrication of a millimeter-scale soft robot utilizing liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs).
  • Actuation of the robot's soft body through local light-induced phase transitions in the LCE.
  • Testing the robot's crawling ability on horizontal, vertical, and inverted surfaces, as well as on smooth, rough, and obstructed terrains.

Main Results:

  • The soft robot successfully demonstrated efficient crawling locomotion, mimicking the pedal waves of terrestrial gastropods.
  • The robot navigated diverse environments, including smooth and rough surfaces, and overcame obstacles.
  • The light-induced phase transition in LCEs proved an effective mechanism for generating traveling deformations for locomotion.

Conclusions:

  • The study presents a novel bio-inspired soft crawling robot capable of versatile locomotion.
  • This work highlights the potential of liquid crystal elastomers as smart materials for micro-engineering and robotics.
  • The developed robot serves as a platform for further research into natural crawling mechanisms and soft robotic systems.