South Korean researchers build liquid metal robot splitting and reforming
Researchers in South Korea have built a liquid metal robot that can actually change its shape: think splitting into droplets, squeezing through tiny spaces, or even swallowing objects to carry them around.
It's soft, flexible, and can come back together after breaking apart.
The team published their breakthrough in Science Advances.
Particle shell could aid medicine delivery
The robot's core is protected by a special shell made from water-repellent particles using an ice-based method for even coverage.
Thanks to this clever design, the robot could one day help with things like delivering medicine inside the body, performing microsurgery, checking hard-to-reach pipes, or exploring collapsed buildings.
The researchers say these particle-armored robots could be a whole new direction for soft robotics.