Hefei City, Anhui Province, east China - Oct 22, 2018 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of liquid metal robot
2. Power supply machine
3. Zhang Shiwu, associate professor at University of Science and Technology of China, students
4. Liquid metal droplet controlled by electricity moving
5. Power supply machine
6. Various of Zhang, student
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zhang Shiwu, associate professor, University of Science and Technology of China:
"Liquid metal is a new functional material, which has showed great potential in micro electro mechanical systems, smart wearable devices, targeted drug delivery systems, and others. Our goal is to apply the movable, shape-shifting and conductive properties of liquid metal in robotics, so that one day we could develop a new type of shape-shifting, soft-bodied robot."
8. Various of Zhang doing research

Scientists from China and Australia are one step closer to developing shape-shifting liquid metal robot, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on Tuesday.

A statement on the website of the CAS says the scientists have designed a controlled actuation of gallium liquid metal, which makes wheeled robots driven by a liquid metal droplet come true.

The design combines the liquid mental driver with voltage to alter the robot's center of gravity and create a new liquid mental robot with a flexible structure and driving function.

It is considered breakthrough findings in building a shape-shifting liquid metal similar to the T-1000 Terminator in the science fiction film.

Developing a liquid metal robot can inspire a new method of fixing problems of traditional mechanisms, and promote the development of micro robots and special robots, according to a press release on Tuesday by the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) that is leading the program.

"Liquid metal is a new functional material, which has showed great potential in micro electro mechanical systems, smart wearable devices, targeted drug delivery systems, and others. Our goal is to apply the movable, shape-shifting and conductive properties of liquid metal in robotics, so that one day we could develop a new type of shape-shifting, soft-bodied robot," said Zhang Shiwu, associate professor at USTC.
The robot was developed by the research teams of USTC, University of Wollongong in Australia and Suzhou University in east China.

The Germany-based scientific journal Advanced Materials published the research in an article on Oct 15.