Traditionally, once you build a robot, its “muscles” are stuck doing one specific job. If you want it to do something else, you usually have to start from scratch. But a new study published in Science Advances shows that we can now make robots that change their shape, fix themselves when they break, and can even be recycled.

An Adapting “Muscle”

The team, led by Seoul National University professors Jeong-Yun Sun and Ho-Young Kim, focused on a dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA). These are like artificial muscles that turn electricity into movement, usually found in vibration motors in your phone or soft robotic grippers.

The problem has always been that the internal electrodes are permanent. If you want a robot to switch from bending to stretching, you have to take it apart. To fix this, the researchers created a “phase-transitional ferrofluid” (PTF) that acts like a solid at room temperature, but if you apply a little heat or a magnetic field, it turns into a liquid that can be moved around.

Because the electrode can melt and move, the robot can literally rewire itself on the fly, splitting one electrode into two or moving them into 3D shapes to perform brand-new tasks.

Robots With Self-Healing, Recycled Parts

Additionally, the material heals itself. For example, if the robot gets cut or if a high-voltage spark ruins the circuit, it doesn’t have to be thrown away. Melting the area around the damage allows the liquid metal to flow back together to bridge the gap.

When the robot finally reaches the end of its life, the liquid electrode can be sucked out and used in a new machine. The team found that even after being reused multiple times, the material still performs at about 91% of its original strength.

“This study represents a breakthrough in transforming traditionally static and passive electrodes into ‘living, programmable elements’ through innovations in particle and polymer design,” Prof. Jeong-Yun Sun explained. “This self-healing and shape-reconfigurable electrode technology will serve as a key foundation for sustainable next-generation soft robotics.”

This could eventually lead to phones with screens that change shape or industrial robots that can repair themselves in dangerous environments. Researchers noted that the technology could move us away from disposable tech and toward machines that can adapt to changes.