Cell-Sized Robots Can Sense, Decide, And Move Without Outside Control

Researchers built autonomous robots just 210-340 micrometers wide, roughly the size of a paramecium, that contain an onboard computer, sensors, memory, and propulsion systems.
The microrobots can measure temperature, make decisions based on sensor data, and navigate toward warmer areas without any external control, all while running on the same power as a living cell.
About 100 robots fit on a chip smaller than a fingertip and are manufactured using standard semiconductor processes, with estimated production costs of about one penny per robot.
The devices demonstrated the ability to autonomously adapt their movement in response to changing temperature gradients, transmitting measurement data back to researchers by encoding it in their motion patterns.