Scientists have created robots that can change their state from liquid to solid and back again, inspired by the sea cucumber's ability to change the stiffness of its body. A research team from Sun Yat-sen University, Zhejiang University, and Carnegie Mellon University has developed a new material called "magnetoactive transition phase" (MPTM) that enables robots to perform similar functionality.
This material consists of magnetic neodymium-iron-boron microparticles embedded in gallium, a metal with a melting point of only 29.8°C. Using the phenomenon of magnetic induction, robots can change their state from liquid to solid, which allows them to perform a variety of tasks, such as moving through narrow spaces or cooperating to move objects.
The advanced properties of MPTM, including high mechanical strength and the ability to carry loads up to 30 times its own weight in the solid phase, and smooth movement at a speed of up to 15 cm per second in the liquid phase, open up new possibilities for applications in medicine.
These robots can be used to deliver drugs in hard-to-reach places of the human body or to remove foreign bodies, such as those in the stomach. In addition, this material allows the creation of "universal screws" that can be used in intelligent assembly, adapting to the screw socket before solidifying.
Research on this material and robots shows the potential to create new classes of biomedical equipment and methods for assembling products with hard-to-reach parts, which may contribute to the further development of personalized and precision medicine.
No comments:
Post a Comment