These tiny robotic fingers allow humans to interact with insects

These microfingers allow you to safely interact with insects. The possibilities of this invention are endless.

Human fingers are obviously too big to safely interact with insects, but technology could give us a much more subtle option. Scientists at Ristumeikan University have developed “microfingers”using soft robotics that allow humans to interact with insects. Merely 1.20 cm long and 3.5 mm wide, these small fingers combine liquid metal pressure sensors with “muscles”equipped with pneumatic bladders to apply enough force to touch an insect without harming it. A human operator operates a tiny robotic arm.

These microfingers allow you to safely interact with insects

To test this technology, the researchers used microfingers to measure the reaction force of the woodlice’s legs and torso. The creature’s 10 millinewtons of leg force was consistent with previous estimates, a figure that science has never been able to directly verify until today.

This technology could be useful for studying the powers of insects. However, the team of researchers rather sees their invention as useful for other interactions on a microscopic scale, in particular with the help of augmented reality glasses, which will provide more accurate and detailed vision. Future versions may one day even help scientists interact directly with bacteria and other viruses.

The possibilities of this invention are endless.

The challenge, as with many similar scientific inventions, is how to translate this discovery into a practical product. The Ritsumeikan team cautioned that this is only a proof of concept and “representative study”. It could be a very long time before this technology is fully tested, let alone mass-produced. Either way, it allows us to dream of a future where people can catch tiny objects in a very natural way.