Shape-Shift Liquid Robot Could Enable Miraculous Medical Treatments

­Researchers at Seoul National University and Gachon University have developed a shape-shifting robot that can fit into tiny crevices, behave like a cell, and perform seemingly impossible functions for an artificial being.

The scientists describe their Particle-armored liquid roBot (PB) as “a liquid blob coated with unusually abundant superhydrophobic particles.” Amongst its many capabilities, the PB could be the first step towards our long-awaited biomedical nanomachines that function like the cells in our body to treat conditions up to and including drug delivery and attacking tumors.

They mention how we’re already developing robots that emulate biological creatures like large scale humanoids, robotic quadrupeds, birds, insects, and microscale biorobots, but as of yet, none have been able to freely deform, divide, fuse, and engulf alien substances.

In the case of cells, which the new PB aims to replicate, their high fluidity comes from their liquid contents, and previous versions that incorporate liquid metal or ferrofluid haven’t been able to function as miniature biochemical reactors or ingestible drug delivery agents.

Researchers drastically increased the powders that surround the liquid interface, and by preventing the internal liquid from coming into contact with the surroundings, it can perform cell-like functions.

“Using acoustic radiation force for movement control, PBs have shown proficiency in various functions, such as navigating intricate environments, engulfing and transporting cargoes, crossing water and land boundaries, and seamlessly merging to adapt to new operational requirements,” note the researchers.

I’m particularly interested in the PBs’ ability to engulf external particles, leading to potentially miraculous cancer treatments (amongst other seemingly impossible-to-treat conditions).

Read the full study here.