No, it's not flubber from the movie with robin Williams, a greatly unappreciated scientific masterpiece.

不，這不是羅賓-威廉姆斯電影中的橡皮泥，題外話，那是部被低估的科學電影傑作。

This slime is truly a groundbreaking discovery and creation that could change the future of robotics, medicine, and humanity.

這種黏液的確是突破性的發明，足以改變機器人、醫學和人類的未來。

Yes, the future of humanity may be impacted by a magnetic turd.

沒錯，人類的未來可能取決於這塊像屎一樣的磁性黏液。

Okay, in all seriousness, what exactly is it?

好了，說正經的，這到底是什麼？

And why is it significant?

為什麼它這麼重要？

Well, we use robots for all sorts of purposes but they aren't exactly known for their dexterity and nuanced touch,

人類將機器人用於各種用途，但它們並非特別靈巧、細緻。

which is why this robot simply learning how to peel a banana without smashing it to bits was a huge breakthrough just this year.

這就是為什麼今年，光是機器人簡單地學會如何在不將香蕉壓爛的情況下剝皮就是個巨大的突破。

Miniature robots have also been created to navigate tight spaces, like these tiny objects coded with a magnetic spray,

微型機器人也被設計來進入狹小的空間，如這些用磁力噴碼的小物體，

making the delivery of pills to a very specific part of the body a possibility.

它們開啟了將藥送到身體特定部位的可能性。

And the rise of nanobots has even opened the potential for microscopic machines that could be deployed inside the human body and act to identify or even destroy cancer in the future.

奈米機器人的興起甚至開啟了微觀機器的可能性，這些機器可以安裝在人體內，並在未來識別甚至消滅癌症。

But robots combining the ability for tight or tiny navigation and physical manipulation together are super rare.

但是，將緊密或微小導航能力與物理操縱能力結合在一起的機器人非常罕見。

On the one hand, you have elastomer-based soft body robots that are great for gentle manipulation in sensitive environments but are limited in their deform ability or how small they can get.

選擇一，有彈性的軟體機器人，適合在敏感環境中執行輕柔操作，但它們的變形能力或尺寸都有限。

And on the other hand, you have fluid-based soft body robots which are really good at fitting into small spaces but are limited by their unstable shape.

另一種則是流體軟體機器人，能適應小空間，但受限於其不穩定的形狀。

This is where our slime robot comes in.

這時就輪到我們的黏液機器人大展身手了。

The slime is made up of a polymer called polyvinyl alcohol and borax, which can actually be created fairly simply.

這種黏液是由叫聚乙烯醇和硼砂的聚合物組成的，實際上製作起來相當簡單。

What you end up with is a slimy blobby-like substance that can act like both a liquid and a solid.

最後會得到這種既像液體又像固體的黏糊物質。

This behavior is called visco elasticity and it's kind of like when you mix together water and cornstarch and make oobleck, the non-newtonian substance whose viscosity changes under pressure.

這種特性被稱為黏彈性，有點像是把水和玉米澱粉混在一起做成的「毆不裂」，這種非牛頓流體的黏度會隨壓力變化。

If you smack it or touch it really quickly, it acts like a solid, but if handled slowly and gently, it acts like a liquid.

如果你拍打或快速觸摸，它就會像固體，但如果慢慢、輕輕地碰，它就會像液體。

The same is true of this slime, but what gives it its unique ability to move are tiny particles of neodymium magnets.

這種黏液也是如此，但讓它具獨特移動力的是釹磁鐵小顆粒。

Neodymium can create powerful permanent magnets that are super useful when you need a low magnet mass or volume.

釹可以創造出強大的永久磁鐵，當需要低質量或體積小的磁鐵時，它超級有用。

And in this case, because the slime is so small, the researchers wanted to use tiny magnets with high power.

而在我們這個情況下，因為黏液本身體積小，研究人員希望使用高功率的微小磁鐵。

And these magnetic particles within the slime can be manipulated in order to make it travel, rotate, or form different shapes.

而我們可以操縱黏液機器人中的磁性顆粒，使其行駛、旋轉或變成不同形狀。

I'm quite interesting using the magnetic field to drive, you know, this kind of tiny device inside the body.

我對使用磁力驅動這種在體內的微小裝置相當感興趣。

The main advantage is that the magnetic field is not that harmful to the tissue, to the body.

主要一個優點是磁場對身體組織的傷害不大。

Okay, so we've got a magnetic slime robot on our hands.

好，所以我們手上有個磁性黏液機器人。

But what exactly is it for?

但它到底可以用來做什麼？

Like, what can it actually do?

它的功能是什麼？

Right now, the biggest focus by its creators seems to be in the medical field, though it's certainly not limited to just that.

這個機器人的發明者現下似乎是專注在醫學領域，但它當然不是僅限於這個領域。

Because of the slimes ability to navigate tiny spaces and be manipulated, it could be useful in the digestive system.

因為黏液機器人能在微小空間中行動及被操縱，它也許能用於消化系統。

For example, if you or a child swallowed something toxic, like a small battery,

例如，如果你或一個孩子，吞下了像小電池這樣的有毒物件。

the slime could be deployed to wrap around a toxic object and help prevent toxic electrolytes from leaking out.

黏液機器人可以包裹在有毒物體外，防止有毒電解質滲漏。

Much like other miniature soft body robots, it could be used to assist minimally invasive surgery or even targeted drug delivery.

就像其他微型軟體機器人，黏液機器人可以用來輔助微創手術，甚至執行定點藥物輸送。

The slime is able to navigate channels as small as 1.5 millimeters, which is tiny, like this tiny, so small.

黏液機器人能在小至 1.5 毫米的通道中行進，1.5 毫米非常小，這麼小。

They are proven to work on multiple surfaces and substrates in complex environments, from plastic to glass, silicone, water, metal and paper.

它們已證明可以在複雜環境、多表面和材質上運作，從塑膠到玻璃、硅膠、水、金屬和紙張都可以。

Ultimately, the slime is extremely versatile, which is rare for conventional liquid based robots.

最終，這種黏液機器人的用途將非常廣泛，相比傳統液體機器人，這是相當罕見的。

It can stretch up to seven times its original length.

它可以拉伸七倍的長度。

And unlike other soft body robots, this slime doesn't require a pre designed shape and can be reconfigured in situ.

而與其他軟體機器人不同，這種黏液不用預先設計形狀，可以配合情況所需變形。

The magnetic slime can grasp multiple target objects simultaneously and even extend tentacles in three directions.

磁性粘液可以同時抓住多個目標物，甚至向三個方向伸出觸手。

I consider it more like a surgical tool because it's larger and you can apply a much stronger force on the object,

我認為它更像外科手術工具，因為它體積更大、能對物體施加更強的力量。

because you can put more magnetic material inside of the slime in comparison with those nanobots.

與奈米機器人相比，你可以在黏液中放更多磁鐵。

The truth be told, the functional use is still really hypothetical and in its fundamental research stage where scientists are just trying to understand its material properties.

說實話，其功能用途仍是假設性的，處於基礎研究階段，科學家們還在試圖瞭解其材料特性。

It could be used as an electrical conductor to connect electrodes and hard to reach places or in motion sensing of the human body for wearable devices.

它可以作為電導體在難以到達的地方連接電極，或用於人體運動感應穿戴設備。

Electronic devices often fail because of partial disconnection, whether from environmental factors or scratches by sharp objects.

電子設備經常因為部分斷開而失效，無論是環境因素還是被尖銳物切斷。

And this slime could help prepare those.

而黏液機器人這時就能幫上忙。

The slime is even self-healing, bringing itself back together after being chopped apart.

黏液機器人甚至能自我癒合，被劈開後又能自己重新組合起來。

This is because of the hydrogen bonds between the bori ions and OH groups,

這多虧了硼離子和 OH 基團之間的氫鍵，

which can occur spontaneously without the help of external sources, and after healing it maintains its physical integrity and electrical capabilities.

它可以在沒有外部幫助的情況下自主活動，並且在癒合後保持其物理完整性和電力。

The researchers even did a series of tests with LED light bulbs, showing the slime self-healing between a circuit and the lights coming back to full strength.

研究人員甚至用 LED 燈泡做了一系列測試，利用電路和燈泡展示黏液的自我癒合能力。

The true possibilities are just beginning to be explored as it's essentially a new type of material, and that will likely be the focus of future experiments with the slime.

這可能才只是探索其真正潛能的開端，因為基本上它是種新型材料，而這很可能是未來實驗的重點。

Of course it's important to remember that the slime does not have any form of sentience or autonomy as it's completely controlled by human manipulation, at least for now.

當然，黏液機器人沒有任何智能或自主權，因為它完全由人類操縱，至少現在是這樣。

And in its current state, the magnetic particles themselves are actually toxic, but protective layers of silica have been tested for hypothetical use in humans to keep it safe.

而在目前的狀態下，磁性顆粒本身是有毒的，但二氧化硅的保護層已經過測試，能在人體中使用確保其安全性。

In the future, we hope that we can realize some kind of autonomous control and also the device can have some intelligence.

未來，我們希望能達成機器人自主控制，並且配備一定智能程度。

Basically, a slime robot should know how to deform, how to behave, how to manipulate, or interact with environment.

基本上，黏液機器人應該知道如何變形、如何行動、如何操縱或與環境互動。

So, really, I mean we have two parts.

主要可以分成兩方面。

One is from the engineering point of view, the other is its application for medicine.

一個是工程面應用，二是醫學上的應用

At the end of the day, it's another really creative and cool step in robot creation and manipulation that will likely bear even more fruit for future research and more creations.

不管如何，這是機器人發明和操縱領域又一有創意、厲害的進步，很可能為未來的研究和發明帶來更多成果。

Speaking of creations and creativity, I want to thank today's sponsor Skillshare, who's giving 30% off a yearlong skill share membership for anyone who clicks are link in the description or uses our code, ASAPSCIENCE30.

說到創作和創意，我要感謝今天的贊助商 Skillshare，只要點擊描述欄的連結或使用我們的折扣碼 ASAPSCIENCE3 就享一年 Skillshare 會員資格 30% 優惠。

You want to improve your skills? Skillshare gotcha.

你想增進技能嗎？包在 Skillshare 身上。

You want to develop new ones? Skillshare got you covered there too.

還是想學習新的技能嗎？ Skillshare 也能幫助你。

You all know how much we love using Skillshare here at ASAP Science, and I know you will too.

你們都知道 ASAP Science 有多喜歡使用 Skillshare，你們也會喜歡的。

Of course, I recently learned so much from this called Find Your Style. Five exercises to unlock your creative identity by AndyJ. Pizza. Yes, Pizza.

我最近在 Andy J. Pizza 的《尋找你的風格》中學到了很多，使用五個練習來釋放你的創意。沒錯，就是披薩那個 Pizza。

The course helps you find your personal artistic identity through exploration, whether it's art, podcasting, speaking, or any place where you want to develop a strong sense of self and point of view.

課程能幫你發掘個人的創作身份，無論是播音、表達，還是任何你想培養的自我意識和觀點。

How do you know your own taste? What makes something good?

該怎麼摸清自己的品味？ 是什麼讓東西有價值？

These are questions that I often ask myself and even struggle with.

這些都是我經常問自己的問題，甚至為之掙扎。

So it's nice to hear them processed out loud and have the ability to work through them.

是以，很高興聽到這些問題被放上台面討論，並擁有能力處理它們。

It's just one of the thousands of inspiring classes you can take to invest in your personal growth, whether you're wanting to make a career pivot or just expand already existing resources from technical classes on photography and animation to personal and spiritual growth to plant care, Skillshare has it all.

這只是投資個人成長、鼓舞人心的數千課程之一，無論你是想轉行，還是只是想拓展技能，從攝影、動畫技術課程到個人和精神成長，再到植物護理 ，Skillshare 平台都有。

Even though science can often feel very straight-lined or like a narrow way of thinking, it's been shown time and time again that some of the best and most celebrated scientists are people who expanded their horizons and other creative interests beyond science.

儘管科學常常讓人感覺很直線條，或有點狹隘，但時間一次又一次地證明，一些最好、最有名的科學家都是擁有廣闊視野及科學以外其他創造性興趣的人。

So, I highly recommend you to try that out yourself too.

所以，我強烈建議大家去看看。

Again, check the link out below or use our code ASAP Science 30 for 30% off a yearlong Skillshare membership.

點擊下面的連接，或使用代碼 ASAP Science 30 獲得 Skillshare 一年會員的 30% 折扣。

Thanks for watching.

感謝收看。

Make sure you like the video, subscribe, and we'll see you next time for some more science. Piece.

記得按讚、訂閱，收看之後更多科學作品。掰掰！