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Ariana Baio
Jan 25, 2023
This shape-shifting robot can melt through bars just like the T-1000 in …
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Researchers have figured out how to make shapeshifting robots that can turn into liquid, split apart, then rejoin.
The humanoid miniature robots are able to switch between liquid and solid states thanks to the metal gallium which can be controlled remotely with a magnetic field.
“Giving robots the ability to switch between liquid and solid states endows them with more functionality,” said Dr. Chengfeng Pan, an engineer at The Chinese University of Hong Kong who led the study.
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The shapeshifting robots are a breakthrough in science that could allow for the creation of more robots that can switch between liquids and solids that can, hopefully, be used in various situations.
Researchers showed how the robots can become flexible in fluid-like states through demonstrations.
\u201cIt\u2019s not exactly the T-1000\u2014yet. But researchers have created a liquid metal robot that can mimic the shape-shifting abilities of the silvery, morphing killer robot in Terminator 2: Judgement Day. https://t.co/tyNW1CPLCy\u201d— News from Science (@News from Science) 1674664224
In one demonstration, researchers put the small robots in a miniature jail cell to show how it was able to escape by becoming a liquid form.
In another, they showed how the robots were able to split in half to move over objects and then join back together.
Although much smaller than the robots in The Terminator, many compared the similarities between the humanoid robots. Of course, people expressed concern over creating powerful robots that can change physical form.
\u201c@NewsfromScience Science Based On Sci-Fi Villains! What Could Go Wrong?\u201d— News from Science (@News from Science) 1674664224
"Oh dear. We skipped straight to Terminator 2," Dan wrote.
"Listen up, creative types: just don't give scientists ideas, anymore, okay?" Mercedes tweeted.
\u201cI can\u2019t believe someone watched Terminator 2 and thought I\u2019ve got to make a magnetic Liquid Metal robot. That\u2019ll be fun and yet\u2026\u201d— Rich (@Rich) 1674676477
\u201cTerminator 1: what if we make the killer robot a metal skeleton\nTerminator 2: what if we make the killer robot a shape shifting liquid alloy\nTerminator 3:\u201d— BMP-2 Operator's Union (@BMP-2 Operator's Union) 1674563643
Researchers are hoping they can use their new development to find ways the robots can be useful.
“Future work should further explore how these robots could be used within a biomedical context,” Carmel Majidi, from Carnegie Mellon University said.
“What we’re showing are just one-off demonstrations, proofs of concept, but much more study will be required to delve into how this could actually be used for drug delivery or for removing foreign objects.”
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