Who would have thunk it that ordinary cellulose has a piezoelectric effect Researchers applied very thin gold electrode layers to both sides of a cellophane. When positive current is applied one side and negative to the other, the cellophane curls to one side. When the current flow is reversed the cellophane curls to the other side. Viola! Artificial muscles! When the current is oscillated the wings flap like dragonfly wings! The cellulose used seems to be more of a wood pulp paper product than clear plastic cellophane so the wings may more resemble those of white paper airplanes than clear dragonfly wings. Researchers believe that these tiny artificial muscles of cellulose and gold might be useful for other robotics besides bot wings too.

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