Using porous carbon nanoparticles from waste onion peels, a team of scientists have developed soft robotic actuators.
Actuator
An "actuator" can be defined as a device that converts energy (in robotics, that energy tends to be electrical)into physical motion.
About
Soft robots or actuators consisting of rubber-like polymer with embedded nanomaterial, which convert a source of energy to mechanical motion have been gaining much interest with targeted applications in areas, including bio-medical, military, and remote space operations.
Generation of predesigned motion facilitated by their flexibility, affordability, and easy customisation are the main reasons for such interest.
The actuators can act as efficient traps for illuminating low-power near-infrared (NIR) light and can convert a control signal into mechanical motion with bioengineering applications such as drug delivery, wearable and assistive devices, prostheses, and even artificial organs.