Maze solving by chemotactic droplets.
Droplets emitting surface-active chemicals exhibit chemotaxis toward low-pH regions. Such droplets are self-propelled and navigate through a complex maze to seek a source of acid placed at one of the maze's exits. In doing so, the droplets find the shortest path through the maze. Chemotaxis and maze solving are due to an interplay between acid/base chemistry and surface tension effects.
Lagzi
István
I
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3113, USA.
Soh
Siowling
S
Wesson
Paul J
PJ
Browne
Kevin P
KP
Grzybowski
Bartosz A
BA