Materially Engineered Artificial Pollinators

Abstract

Summary Pollinating insects such as honeybees play a critical role in maintaining the natural environment. The decline in honeybee populations is a global issue with significant repercussions with respect to the pollination of plants. The simultaneous expression of multifunctionality from synthesized ionic liquid gels (ILGs) for biotechnology is presented in this study. We also demonstrate that, when mixed with photochromic organic compounds, ILGs display rapid color changes, similar to light-triggered camouflage, on living Musca domestica specimens. By further exploiting the physicochemical properties of ILGs, we were able to achieve effective pollen adsorption by ILG-functionalized Formica japonica specimens from Tulipa gesneriana flowers with high biocompatibility. In addition, a radiowave-controllable bio-inspired flying robot equipped with ILG-coated vertically aligned animal hairs could be used to successfully pollinate Lilium japonicum flowers. Such materially engineered artificial plant pollinators should lead to the development of high-performance robotics that can help counter the decline in honeybee populations.