Introducing e-MG, A, Electro-Morphing Gel Robot

This one bends, stretches, and slithers, just like a creature straight out of a Marvel movie. It was developed by researchers. It is a super agile robot that can shapeshift using a special electro-morphing gel, mimicking the fluidity and adaptability of the comic book anti-hero Venom.

Created by scientists at the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London, this soft, jelly-like humanoid gymnast showcases unprecedented flexibility in motion and form.

The breakthrough introduces an electro-morphing gel (e-MG) that enables robots to change shape and move with lifelike agility.

Unlike traditional rigid robots, the e-MG model can contort its limbs, twist its body, and even swing across surfaces.

This remarkable flexibility comes from the e-MG’s unique ability to respond to electric fields. When voltage is applied through ultralight electrodes, the gel reshapes itself, bending, stretching, or contracting based on the desired motion.

Study lead author Ciqun Xu, Research Associate at the University of Bristol School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, said: "Soft robotics is an exciting and rapidly advancing field, both here in Bristol and worldwide. Our e-MG robot, which resembles something straight out of science fiction, marks an exciting breakthrough that paves the way for further progress in soft robotics."

Soft robots have long promised a gentler, more adaptable approach to automation, but their performance has often been hampered by slow response times and limited morphing capabilities.

This contrasts with previous magnetic micro robots requiring heavy, bulky and expensive electromagnets.

By constructing the e-MG robot from a soft polymer composite incorporating nanocrystalline conductors, it can be manipulated remotely by electric fields with a high level of control and body morphing.

The e-MG robot changes that. Its electroactive gel structure allows for rapid, multidirectional motion without bulky external magnets or mechanical components.

In tests, the robot performed large-scale deformations and complex movements beyond the limits of current designs. It maintained consistent performance across 10,000 actuation cycles, proving both its endurance and stability.

The e-MG’s versatility could make it a valuable addition across industries, including medical wearables, rescue robotics, and deep-space exploration.

The geometry of an e-MG robot can be tailored to specific application scenarios.

Its geometry can be tailored for specific scenarios, and in one demonstration, the humanoid gymnast robot used its flexible limbs to swing along a ceiling for locomotion.

Researchers say the material can even be integrated with rigid robotic parts to create hybrid machines suited for complex, high-stress environments.

Ciqun added, "The potential applications of soft robotics are as broad as they are exciting. From space exploration to wearable devices and healthcare, soft robotics can push the boundaries of what is possible."