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New Venom-like ‘magnetic slime robot’ could one day be used inside our bodies
robot which takes the form of a blob that can behave both as a solid and a liquid.The blob makes use of magnetic particles within its system to help it shift into different shapes and navigate through all sorts of tight and narrow spaces.Already picking up traction on the internet as a ‘magnetic slime robot’ after its creators at the the Chinese University of Hong Kong announced it at the end of March this year, some have likened it to the gooey form taken by Marvel character Venom.READ MORE: Robot dog named Spot to tackle tomb raiders in ancient Roman ruins of PompeiiOthers, taking a more comical approach, have compared it to Flubber, the 1997 sci-fi comedy film starring the late Robin Williams.However, some who have not been so kind in their comparisons, have called it a ‘magnetic turd’ based on its colour, texture and default appearance.The magnetic slime has already shown itself to have the ability to perform a range of impressive tasks in demonstration videos.It can expand and contract, twist and turn, and even form the shape of an O when other magnets are applied to it externally.The robot’s co-creator Prof Li Zhang said: “The ultimate goal is to deploy it like a robot.”The scientist added that the robot is still in its fundamental research phase and that they are still trying to “understand its material properties,” which Prof Zhang described as being “visco-elastic”, much like “mixing water with [corn] starch at home”.Prof Zhang added: “When you touch it very quickly it behaves like a solid.
