Watch magnetic robot melt from solid to liquid to navigate confined spaces

Engineers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have designed miniature robots that can rapidly shift between liquid and solid states. These robots are made up of gallium, a metal with a low melting point of 29.8 °C, that is embedded with magnetic particles which can be heated through induction. This not only allows the robot to change states but also become mobile in response to the magnetic field. Potential applications of these robots could include removing foreign objects or delivering drugs inside the human body, in addition to soldering circuit boards. – Learn more ➤ Subscribe ➤ Get more from New Scientist: Official website: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: LinkedIn: About New Scientist: New Scientist was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”. Today our website, videos, newsletters, app, podcast and print magazine cover the world’s most important, exciting and entertaining science news as well as asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe, and what it means to be human. New Scientist