An international team of scientists has developed micro-robots that can coordinate into intelligent swarms using sound waves, a breakthrough inspired by natural acoustic communication. The research, led by Igor Aronson at Penn State University and published in Physical Review X on August 12, 2025, demonstrates how these robots can self-organize into various formations like snake-like patterns and rings by adjusting their emission frequencies and moving towards stronger signals.
Each micro-robot is equipped with an acoustic emitter and detector, allowing the swarm to respond dynamically to its environment. This collective intelligence enables the swarms to exhibit resilience to deformation, make collective decisions, and sense their surroundings. Potential applications include precise environmental remediation, minimally invasive medical procedures, and advanced sensing capabilities. This work builds on previous research, including the 2022 demonstration of acoustic virtual walls for microswarm guidance and the 2025 introduction of AcoustoBots. Similar research from the University of Washington has shown robotic swarms using sound for navigation and communication to create 'speech zones' and isolate conversations in noisy environments. Additionally, studies on magnetic microrobot swarms inspired by ant behavior highlight the potential for collective strength in various tasks.