A new slime robot may soon be used inside the human body. Scientists at the University of Hong Kong have developed a magnetic slime that can be controlled by an external magnetic field. The soft robot, made of a material with a lower density than water, is intended to be used inside the human body to locate swallowed objects and repair injuries. According to the publication in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, the robot is about the size of a ping pong ball. It differs significantly from similar approaches where robots have been developed to move through veins and arteries.
The new magnetic slime robot is made up of a combination of neodymium magnets, borax, and polyvinyl alcohol. These materials are toxic to humans, so the robot has a silicone coating that allows it to be used inside the body. However, the developers say that this protective layer is only temporary. The robot itself is very resilient and can heal itself. In experiments, the researchers cut the soft robot into pieces and were able to reassemble the slime without changing its properties. The robot can be controlled inside the patient’s body using an external magnetic field. However, the soft robot does not have an autonomous way of moving.
The medical team can use the external magnetic field to manipulate the shape of the robot slime. It is possible to shape the soft robot into a pen or ball shape and steer it in different directions. The robot changes its shape to penetrate even the smallest openings. According to the researchers, the robot can be used to move swallowed objects in the body that cannot be eliminated through natural digestion. Additionally, the robot can be used to bridge destroyed electrical wires, such as those found in implants, due to its conductivity.
