Soft, Self-Actuated Pump for Mechatronic Devices

As electromechanical devices become increasingly small and complex, the number of required components becomes a limiting factor. Researchers have tapped into the potential of hydrogels driven by oscillating chemical reactions to create a self-actuated, single-component pump. This device could act as a practical power source for microfluidic systems and highlights the potential of soft, bio-inspired machinery in mechatronic devices.