https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/09/220921210054.htm

While Cornell researchers and others have previously developed microscopic machines that can crawl, swim, walk and fold themselves up, there were always "strings" attached; to generate motion, wires were used to provide electrical current or laser beams had to be focused directly onto specific locations on the robots.

"Before, we literally had to manipulate these 'strings' in order to get any kind of response from the robot," said Itai Cohen, professor of physics. "But now that we have these brains on board, it's like taking the strings off the marionette. It's like when Pinocchio gains consciousness."