Why did we ever think that robots had to resemble humans? Because that's what the science fiction novels told us. True, the earliest idea of a robot was a machine to replace a person and do a person's work. But as we came up with more and more uses for a robot, our ideas changed. Soft, flexible robots are more useful for getting around in uneven terrain, and tiny robots can go places and do things humans could never do.
The ultimate soft, flexible robot would be a liquid, right? Interesting Engineering introduces us to one. This robot is semi-liquid, made of polymers, borax, and alcohol, and embedded with neodymium particles throughout so it can be controlled by magnets. The slime is a non-Newtonian fluid that can become solid and then liquid again depending on conditions. It can squeeze through the tightest cracks and stretch to amazing lengths. This slime robot may have innumerable medical applications. It's not pretty, but that doesn't matter when you need it to go get that battery your toddler swallowed. -via Geeks Are Sexy