Vodka-powered robots harness Cheerios-inspired physics for movement in bizarre experiment

Vodka robots use Cheerios physics for efficient movement.

: Researchers at Harvard, led by Jackson Wilt, created vodka-powered robots using the Marangoni effect, a phenomenon inspired by Cheerios. These centimeter-wide 3D-printed pucks use alcohol, not traditional fuel, to achieve movements like environmental remediation. Higher alcohol concentrations improve propulsion, with robots reaching speeds of up to 6 cm/second. The study suggests future applications in education and industry despite vodka's higher cost.

A Harvard University team, led by Jackson Wilt, has ingeniously used the Cheerios effect and the Marangoni effect to power miniature vodka-fueled robots. The researchers designed 3D-printed plastic pucks about a centimeter in size, each equipped with an air chamber for buoyancy and a fuel tank filled with alcohol concentrations of 10-50%.

The Marangoni effect occurs when a fluid with lower surface tension spreads rapidly across a higher tension fluid, propelling the robots on water surfaces. Utilizing the faster evaporating vodka over other substances like soap, the experiments achieved peak speeds of up to 6 cm/second and lasted up to 500 seconds, all while maintaining water surface quality.

Beyond the novelty, these robots could serve in environmental cleanup or industrial operations, dispersing materials uniformly due to their dynamic capabilities. With possible applications in education, they offer a hands-on means to demonstrate physics principles like surface tension, suggesting meaningful real-world utility.

Vodka robotsMarangoni effectrobotics