Miniature soft robot works at -50°C

Northwestern Polytechnical University, City University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University built the world's first miniature soft robot that operates autonomously at -50°C. It uses a polyvinyl chloride-based electroactive polymer with vinyl acetate for low-voltage actuation and self-heating. At 72.5 volts, it melts ice and inspects narrow spaces.