Cilia are micrometer-sized biological structures that occur frequently in nature. Their characteristic high-frequency, three-dimensional beating motions (5–40 Hz) play indispensable roles inside the ...

Scientists have created hydrogel-based artificial cilia that move almost exactly like real biological cilia - the closest imitation achieved so far. The researchers can program each micrometer-sized ...

Figure 1: an illustration of how the micrometer-scale hydrogel actuators work. a. When an external electric field is applied, water inside the soft hydrogel moves through its internal network, causing ...