DNA Triggers Shape-Shifting in Hydrogels, Opening a New Way to Make 'Soft Robots'
Published:29 Sep.2017 Source:Science Daily
Biochemical engineers at the Johns Hopkins University have used sequences of DNA molecules to induce shape-changing in water-based gels, demonstrating a new tactic to produce "soft" robots and "smart" medical devices that do not rely on cumbersome wires, batteries or tethers.
The team members reported that their process used specific DNA sequences called "hairpins" to cause a centimeter-size hydrogel sample to swell to 100 times its original volume. The reaction was then halted by a different DNA sequence, dubbed a "terminator hairpin."