Neusbot, sunlight-powered soft robots that can clean up spills at sea

Project leader

University of California Riverside

Project description

Neusbot is a robotic film that can be deployed indefinitely to remove pollutants from water, especially oil spills. It is solar-powered, so it does not generate any waste and is completely sustainable as it does not require additional energy sources.
Other scientists have succeeded in creating similar films but none have been able to generate the adjustable mechanical oscillation as well as the Neusbot. It has been achieved by making a film with 3 layers. The middle layer is porous and contains water, iron oxide and copper nanorods. The nanorods convert light energy into heat, vaporizing the water and enhancing movement across the surface of the water. The bottom layer of the Neusbot is hydrophobic, so the film is able to float back to the surface under any circumstances.

Objectives of the project

The aim of the project was to create a sustainable type of robot capable of adapting autonomously to changes in the environment in order to clean pollutants from the water.