Shape-shifting Robot inspired by sea cucumber escapes tiny jail
The robot changes its shape and escapes from a tiny metal-bar cell. Although it sounds like something from a science fiction movie, scientists have turned it into reality. They have developed a robot that can adapt to its surroundings and change its form depending on the conditions.
26 April 2024 13:27
The research team, led by Dr. Chengfeng Pan from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, has created an extraordinary robot. It can smoothly transition from a solid state to a liquid one and vice versa. It also has magnetic properties and the ability to conduct electricity. The inspiration for this innovative device came from studying the sea cucumber—a spineless marine organism.
How was the shape-shifting robot created?
Dr Chengfeng Pan stated that robots capable of switching between solid and liquid states would become even more functional.
In creating the robot, the researchers used an innovative "magneto-active transition material between solid and liquid phase." The Eureka Alert news site describes how this material was developed. According to the information, the material was created by embedding magnetic particles in gallium. This metal is characterized by an extremely low melting point (around 30°C), which facilitates the easy change of its state under the influence of temperature.
Carmel Majidi from Carnegie Mellon University noted that the said particles serve a dual function. On one hand, they enable the material's response to changing magnetic fields, facilitating its heating and significant phase change. On the other hand, they provide the robots with mobility and the ability to move under the influence of magnetic fields.
Conducted tests showed that the material is capable of adaptation. Using a magnetic field, scientists were able to make the robots break through obstacles or climb walls. They even managed to split them into two parts, which cooperated in performing tasks such as transporting small items, and then recombined, returning to their original form. One of the tests also included escaping from a miniature jail.
Although such technology might raise concerns, this small device has potentially wide applications, including in medicine and engineering. This robot was used to remove foreign objects from a stomach model and to administer drugs. Scientists believe it will also serve as an intelligent soldering robot for assembly and electronic repair work, and as a mechanized "screw," facilitating assembly in hard-to-reach locations.
