Seems more like some kind of semi-mobile switch than a “robot”.
Inchworm-like robot smallest ever
Tiny bot about as wide as the width of a human hair
Yeah, I also think they are stretching the definition of a robot, but the dictionary seems to allow it:
How long will it be untill doctors are using these to clear out clogged arteries?
I think I recall Asimov defining a robot as a computer that can move itself around. That seems like as good of a first-cut definition as I can think of, provided that by ‘computer’ we mean ‘stored-program computer’ (every computer that carries the term now qualifies).
That obviously isn’t a robot by that definition. Neither is an RC car, for the same reason: The car is only capable of responding to direct commands, and isn’t really ‘computing’ anything.
Semantic drift is inevitable, however, especially when the lay media is concerned. Further evidence that you shouldn’t believe what you read in the papers.