Scientists have developed a magnetic slime robot
A new robot, made of magnetic slime, could navigate tight spaces and grab accidentally swallowed objects inside the body
The world’s first slime robot is here. Made of magnetic slime, it can navigate tight spaces and grab accidentally swallowed objects inside the body.
The world’s first slime robot is breaking boundaries in medical technology, offering a revolutionary solution to a common problem. With its unique composition and maneuverability, this robot can access areas that were previously inaccessible, providing a safe and efficient method for retrieval.
And for those who remember the movie Venom, this innovation might just spark a nostalgic thrill! While we’re not quite at the level of symbiotic alien organisms, the concept of a dynamic, shape-shifting substance navigating the human body is certainly reminiscent.
Just like Venom, this slime robot showcases the potential of merging cutting-edge technology with inspiration from the realms of fiction.
A chinese achievement from Hong Kong University
Scientists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have created the magnetic slime robot we are talking about. It can carry out tasks like fixing broken circuits and picking up objects. They also think one day it could be put inside the human body to do things like help find items that have been swallowed by accident.
Characteristics and performance of the slime robot
Researcher Li Zhang and his colleagues mixed a range of substances together to make the slime which can be controlled by an external magnetic field. They also added a compound that coats the magnetic particles to make them non-toxic for use in the human body.
The video below shows in greater details how it works:
The test phases
The team then tested how well the soft-bodied robot functions in a range of situations, including finding and surrounding a lost battery in a model stomach and moving along while holding onto a piece of wire and also getting through tiny gaps.
There are robots in existence which can successfully find and hold onto objects and others that can squeeze through tight spaces, however there aren’t many that can do both. The robot can also heal itself after being cut into pieces.
“You can first elongate it to a very large extent so it looks like a liquid. Then afterwards, you can roll it like an octopus’ arm to carry something,” Li Zhang told New Scientist.
The trials on human body
However, before they can use the robot inside a real person’s body, the scientists will first need to come up with a way of tracking it. In fact, if we want to control something inside the body to do a specific task, we have to know where the [robot] is and how it’s performing.
It would also need to be tested to make sure the magnetic particles – which are toxic on their own – aren’t able to separate from the slime (and potentially poison the human they are working in)
Additional accurate tests will have to be run to verify safety, future trials will provide useful insight on that, but the magnetic slime it’s definitely a sound approach to a more contemporary soft robotics.
source: Chinese University of Hong Kong / New Scientists
cover image: HK University
author: Barbara Marcotulli
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