According to a study published in the journal Matter, a team of scientists has developed a shape-shifting robot that can transform from a solid to a liquid state.
Led by engineer Chengfeng Pan at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the researchers created a metal gallium robot containing magnetic particles. And enables a robot to be controlled by embedded magnets.
“Giving robots the ability to switch between liquid and solid states endows them with more functionality,” Chengfeng wrote in a January 25 statement.
The robot can liquefy and reform at a temperature of under 86°F, giving it greater flexibility and allowing it to access small spaces that traditional hard-bodied robots cannot.
Shape-shifting robot solves problems
The Smithsonian Magazine had previously reported that traditional robots can’t always access small spaces. Due to their hard body exterior, they are not malleable. And more flexible robots are too fragile to adjust.
