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Technology

Spy robot investigates the enemy and then melts into an oily puddle

A robot that dissolves into a puddle after exposing itself to heat and UV light could one day be used to securely gather intelligence and then destroy itself before it falls into the wrong hands

By Lauren Barack

11 March 2023

Puddle

The robot can melt into a puddle

Shutterstock/Igor Kovalchuk

A stealthy little spy robot, small enough to remain undetected, is capable of self-destructing into a pool of oily goo once its mission is completed. Such robots could be used to covertly gather data, vanishing before falling into the wrong hands.

The robot is a type of soft robot, which means it consists of materials that are more flexible than the hard ones typically used in conventional robotics. Soft robots have previously been proposed for jobs like delivering medicine to wild animals by mimicking small, swallowable prey, says at…

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