How chemistry can make robots move and feel

The arms of an octopus can 'think' for themselves. Such systems could also help robots adapt to their enivronment quickly |Image Neer Naor on Unsplash

Organic chemist Michael Lerch is fascinated by ‘engineering solutions’ that can be found in nature. He is working on smart materials, such as heat-absorbing coatings to keep your house cool or coatings that absorb unpleasant odours. And he wants to make robots that move more smoothly by using smart materials that can act as a chemistry-based operating system.

‘Smart materials are often designed by engineers, who mostly rely on available components. As a synthetic chemist, I can design and make the components I need. read more