writer：Aritra K. Mukhopadhyay, Ran Niu*, Linhui Fu, Kai Feng, Christopher Fujta, Qiang Zhao, Jinping Qu, an
keywords：active droplet; maze solving; decision making
source：期刊
Issue time：2026年
Motile microorganisms, like bacteria and algae, unify abilities like self-propulsion,
autonomous navigation, and decision-making on the micron scale. While recent
breakthroughs have led to the creation of synthetic microswimmers and nanoagents
that can also self-propel, they still lack the functionality and sophistication of their
biological counterparts. This study pioneers a mechanism enabling synthetic agents to
autonomously navigate and make decisions, allowing them to solve mazes and transport
cargo through complex environments without requiring external cues or guidance.
The mechanism exploits chemo-hydrodynamic signals, produced by agents like active
droplets or colloids, to remotely sense and respond to their environment—similar to
echolocation. Our research paves the way for endowing autonomous, motile synthetic
agents with functionalities that have been so far exclusive to biological organisms.