There’s the largest known bacteria, and then the world’s smallest chariot, which can only be seen with a scanning electron microscope. Created by scientists at the University of Tokyo, this microscopic vehicles can be pulled by single-celled algae.
Simply put, these micromachines were fabricated using a 3D printing technology called two-photon stereolithography. The printer basically uses light to create microstructures from plastic. This meant the researchers had to work at a scale of 1 micrometer, equal to 0.001 millimeter, and the most challenging part was optimizing the design of the basket-shaped trap, so that it could effectively capture and hold the algae when they swam into it. Sale Elikliv Microscope, LCD Digital Coin Microscope 1000x, Coin Magnifier with 8 Adjustable LED Lights, PC... 4.3'' Crisp Display: With 720P HD digital imaging, the LCD screen displays real-time clear images and good quality videos in full lighted view with 8...Powerful 1000x Magnification: This microscope for adults allows you to zoom in and see the incredible details at a magnification range from 50x to...Microscope to PC Larger View: Connect this electronic microscope effortlessly to Windows or MacBook for viewing on a larger scale, and share live... $45.99 −$12.22 $33.77 Buy on Amazon blood slide under microscope
We were inspired to try and harness Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a very common algae found all over the world, after being impressed by its swift and unrestricted swimming capabilities. We’ve now shown that these algae can be trapped without impairing their mobility, offering a new option for propelling micromachines which could be used for engineering or research purposes,” said Naoto Shimizu, a student from the Graduate School of Information Science and Technology at the University of Tokyo.
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