Vodka-powered robots inspired by Cheerios move easily, can be used in industries

Researchers at Harvard University developed tiny robots propelled by surface tension using the Marangoni effect. The centimeter-sized plastic pucks, containing leaking alcohol, move across water at speeds up to 6 cm/s for up to 500 seconds. Multiple connected pucks can trace curves or spin. This innovation may lead to small-scale aquatic robots for various applications. Stronger alcohols like vodka and absinthe provided better propulsion than weaker solutions.