Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42054470›Full record

ArticleScience advances2026

Twirlbot: Tumbleweed-inspired rolling robot.

Chi Chen, Zhuo Wang, Yuchen Wang, Pengju Shi, Zixiao Liu, Muqing Si, Sidi Duan, Wenhao Hou, Ximin He

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Chi ChenDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0009-0006-7466-7870
Zhuo WangDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Yuchen WangDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-6338-1477
Pengju ShiDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2375-5898
Zixiao LiuDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1161-1803
Muqing SiDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8361-1215
Sidi DuanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-5128-1335
Wenhao HouDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0009-0007-8374-8696
Ximin HeDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8845-4637

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Omnidirectional locomotion offers superior adaptability and maneuverability over uni-/bidirectional movement, with spherical structures being ideal due to their zero turning radius and geometric stability on complex terrains. However, existing spherical robots rely on embedded control components and onboard power sources, inevitably increasing design complexity, weight, and cost. Herein, we developed a tumbleweed-inspired rolling robot (Twirlbot) to achieve the hollow spherical architecture by weaving photoactive/passive bilayer strips. The Twirlbot demonstrated autonomous rolling under constant light, enabling multiple functionalities, including omnidirectional locomotion, slope climbing, trampling resistance, cargo transport, self-correction, wind resistance, and adaptation to diverse terrains and environments. These features endowed the Twirlbot with great potential for real-world applications, such as self-sustained seed-sowing, daylight-driven commuting, and autonomous underwater wiring. Notably, the structural design was generalizable to other systems, including commercial materials, enabling substantial cost reduction (less than one-tenth that of existing autonomous untethered robots) and thereby presenting a promising route toward next-generation untethered, self-sustained robotic systems.

Identifiers

PMID42054470
PMCPMC13127597

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.