Professor Metin Sitti – Nature Materials

Our president, Prof. Metin Sitti's research article 'Artificial-goosebump-driven microactuation' was published in the prestigious Nature Materials magazine. This article proposes and demonstrates a new microactuation method that achieves precise manipulation in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems, particularly related to miniature robots, biomedical devices, and microfluidic devices.

Traditional efforts in designing smart materials for microactuators face limitations in fabrication complexity and motion control at small scales. To address these challenges, Prof. Sitti and his research team introduce a novel passive microactuation system inspired by the natural reaction of human hair bristling. Utilizing light-responsive liquid crystal elastomers and two-photon polymerization, the system enables localized and advanced manipulation of individual microstructures with enhanced actuation freedom and precise control. This innovative approach offers solutions for disassembling self-assembled structures and information storage applications, showcasing its versatility across multidisciplinary fields. Key contributions include a bioinspired design, enhanced actuation freedom, individually addressable actuation at the microscale, and targeted manipulation of microstructures, demonstrating significant fundamental and applied advancements in microactuator technology.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-024-01810-6