Magnetic Spray Turns Inanimate Objects Into Minirobots | Science



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By Joel Goldberg

Take a page from Mary Shelley Frankenstein, scientists have designed a spray that turns inanimate materials into moving insect-scale machines. The spray contains particles of iron, polyvinyl alcohol, and gluten, which combine with water to form sticky, magnetic skins, or “M-skins”. Thanks to the magnetic properties of the spray, scientists were able to bring ordinary objects such as origami paper and cotton thread to life, according to an article published last week in Scientific robotics.

The researchers captured images of the “millirobots” rolling, swimming and walking – literally strutting. But they also performed more focused tasks: simulated biomedical procedures. Robotic catheters ran through narrow blood vessels, and egg-shaped capsules delivered drugs to living rabbit stomachs.

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