Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which came out over three decades ago, is one of the best and most famous sci-fi movies ever made. The liquid metal robot T-1000 was surely just the product of people’s imagination at that time, but it’s now becoming a reality thanks to the fabulous advancements in technology.
Researchers have made a breakthrough in the field of robotics by creating a shape-shifting robot that can change its form by liquefying and then reforming itself. This breakthrough is reminiscent of the iconic T-1000 robot from the 1991 film “Terminator 2”, which was able to change its shape to adapt to different situations. The idea behind this new technology is to bridge the gap between traditional robots and the newer, softer robots made of more malleable materials.
Getting inspiration from sea cucumbers to recreate T-1000
The researchers were inspired by the abilities of sea cucumbers to change shape and saw the potential for this technology in robots, as Futurism reveals. This new robot is not only able to change its shape, but it also has the ability to reform itself, making it even more versatile. The researchers hope that this new technology will have a wide range of applications in the future, from manufacturing to search and rescue operations. The potential for this technology is truly exciting and it will be interesting to see how it develops in the future.
It’s not exactly the T-1000—yet. But researchers have created a liquid metal robot that can mimic the shape-shifting abilities of the silvery, morphing killer robot in Terminator 2: Judgement Day. https://t.co/tyNW1CPLCy pic.twitter.com/WV5NIsQQHn
— News from Science (@NewsfromScience) January 25, 2023
The researchers behind this breakthrough have developed a unique type of material known as “magnetoactive solid-liquid phase transitional matter” (MPTM), which is made from gallium. This material is capable of transitioning between a solid and a liquid state, which is what allows the robot to morph and reshape itself. This is a significant step forward in the field of robotics as it brings together the strengths of traditional, hard-bodied robots with the malleability and adaptability of soft robots.
The new research appears in the journal Cell.
