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Meet Picotaur: A Tiny Robot That Can Walk, Jump Climb & Push Objects… All in 7.9 Millimeters

Imagine standing before the ruins of a collapsed building. The air is filled with dust, debris is scattered everywhere, and the situation is tense—every second matters. Human rescuers prepare to step in, but before they do, hundreds of tiny, ant-sized robots scurry into the rubble. They slip through gaps no human could fit through, crawl under rocks, climb over broken walls, and scan every crevice for trapped survivors.

This is not science fiction. This is the vision behind Picotaur, a groundbreaking microrobot developed by the research teams of Sarah Bergbreiter and Aaron Johnson. This miniature marvel, just 7.9 millimeters in length—about the size of a grain of rice—can walk, run, jump, turn, climb stairs, and even push objects, making it one of the most capable micro-robots ever created.

The Big Power of Something So Small

In robotics, “small” doesn’t just mean “cute.” Small means access—access to spaces where humans, dogs, drones, or large robots can’t reach.

Think about natural disasters: earthquakes, mine collapses, or explosions. Large rescue robots are helpful, but they can’t squeeze into the tight spaces where survivors might be trapped. Human rescuers, despite their bravery, face serious risks entering unstable areas. But a swarm of micro-robots could map the area, detect survivors, and even deliver small supplies before rescuers move in.

Picotaur takes inspiration from the insect world. Like ants, cockroaches, or beetles, these microrobots could work together—forming chains to move larger debris, scouting danger zones, or protecting each other from damage.

What Makes Picotaur Special?

Microrobots have existed before, but Picotaur is the first of its size to combine so many abilities in one package.

Dr. Sukjun Kim, who completed his Ph.D. under Professor Bergbreiter, explains:

“This robot has legs driven by multiple actuators, allowing it to perform different movement patterns. It can walk like a cockroach, but it can also hop to overcome obstacles.”

That means it’s not stuck using one style of movement. When the terrain is flat, it can walk efficiently. When it encounters a small step, it can hop over it—something most robots its size can’t do.

A Microscopic Engineering Feat

Creating a robot smaller than a fingernail is no easy task. The team used two-photon polymerization, an advanced 3D-printing technique that builds extremely small and precise structures.

This technology has previously been used to make microbots, microgrippers, microswimmers, and tiny sensors. But Picotaur’s design is more complex. It features a two-degree-of-freedom linkage mechanism—a fancy way of saying its legs can move in two different directions. This is what lets Picotaur clear small step heights and switch between walking and jumping.

From the Lab to the Field

To test Picotaur’s strength and agility, Kim built a miniature soccer field. The challenge: push a ball into the net.

The robot not only managed to push the ball but also turned, reoriented itself, and followed the ball into the goal—demonstrating not just movement, but controlled navigation and object interaction.

In the real world, this could translate to pushing debris out of the way, carrying a sensor to a specific location, or moving a small object to safety.

The Leap from 2D to 3D Robotics

In the past, microfabrication—making things on a microscopic scale—was mostly limited to two-dimensional designs. That’s why microchips, for example, are flat. But with modern 3D microprinting, engineers can now build truly three-dimensional structures at the micro scale.

“Now we can expand from 2D to 3D, which opens up countless possibilities,” says Kim. “We could create microgrippers for delicate surgery, or tiny manufacturing robots for building components too small for human hands.”

This shift from 2D to 3D is as revolutionary for robotics as moving from black-and-white to color was for television—it changes the possibilities entirely.

Potential Applications Beyond Rescue Missions

While disaster recovery is one of the most dramatic uses for Picotaur-like robots, there are many other fields where they could make a big difference:

  1. Medical Applications

    • Delivering medicine directly to targeted areas in the body.

    • Performing microsurgeries inside blood vessels or delicate organs.

    • Removing dangerous blockages without invasive procedures.

  2. Industrial Inspections

    • Checking pipelines, engines, or machinery for faults without disassembly.

    • Inspecting inside aircraft wings or spacecraft components.

  3. Environmental Monitoring

    • Entering tight spaces in coral reefs or forests to study ecosystems.

    • Collecting samples from hazardous or remote areas.

  4. Security and Defense

    • Conducting surveillance in dangerous zones without risking human lives.

    • Detecting mines or explosives.

Challenges Ahead

As exciting as this technology is, microrobotics is still in its early stages. One big challenge is power. Right now, Picotaur is tethered—meaning it’s connected to a power source by a thin wire.

The research team is exploring adding tiny solar cells on top of the robot so it can operate freely. Other challenges include making the robots durable enough for harsh environments, giving them onboard sensors, and developing swarming algorithms so they can coordinate like ants or bees.

The Future of Micro-Robots

Kim believes that public acceptance of larger robots is paving the way for smaller ones.

“Now that people are used to seeing larger robots, I hope they can start imagining micro-robots working around us. That future is not far away.”

Imagine a world where tiny robots monitor the inside of bridges for cracks, travel through our bloodstream to repair damage, or crawl inside collapsed buildings minutes after a disaster. These ideas are no longer just concepts—they’re approaching reality.

Why This Matters

Technology has always been about extending human capability. Just as cranes let us lift heavier loads and microscopes let us see smaller worlds, micro-robots like Picotaur will let us reach and work in places we never could before.

In rescue missions, that could mean more lives saved. In medicine, it could mean faster recovery times and less invasive treatments. In industry and science, it could mean exploring places we’ve never explored.

Picotaur isn’t just a small robot—it’s a giant leap in what small can do.

Final Thoughts

The story of Picotaur is a reminder that innovation doesn’t always mean going bigger and stronger. Sometimes, the future is about going smaller and smarter. With ongoing research into power systems, autonomous control, and swarm coordination, it’s only a matter of time before microrobots like Picotaur leave the lab and become part of our everyday lives.

And when that happens, the next time disaster strikes or a complex medical procedure is needed, a team of tiny heroes might just be the first on the scene.

Reference:
Sukjun Kim et al, Picotaur: A 15 mg Hexapedal Robot with Electrostatically Driven, 3D‐Printed Legs, Advanced Intelligent Systems (2024). DOI: 10.1002/aisy.202400196

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