Researchers create a magnetic slime robot that squeezes through tiny spaces, changes shape and grabs objects

Magnet particles suspended in the slime give it conductivity and the ability to change shape under an external magnetic field, so the robot can navigate narrow channels, confined tubes, complex mazes and uneven surfaces without any onboard motor or battery. Published experiments show the slime stretching to more than seven times its original length under a permanent magnet, splitting and recombining, self healing after being divided and curling around a wire to grasp it.

The team, with lead author Dr Mengmeng Sun, expects the strongest early use to be medical, such as retrieving accidentally swallowed objects like button batteries and sharp bones from the digestive tract, which today usually requires invasive retrieval. The findings were published in Advanced Functional Materials and the work has been covered widely by international outlets.

The researchers said it is encouraging to know that the study has aroused interest and attention, and that they will keep exploring how the slime robot can be put into practical use. Safety work continues because the raw material carries neodymium particles that must be coated before any use inside the body.

“The slime robot, which was developed by Prof. Li Zhang and his research team, can deform, grab objects and move, just like the sci-fi movie creatures. Indeed, the robot design was inspired by the movie Venom, but it is different from Venom in a way that it is expected to bring benefit to human beings in the future.”