Untethered magnetic miniature soft robots can access hard-to-reach regions for minimally invasive medical procedures. However, soft bodies limit integration of non-magnetic stimuli sources, restricting functionalities like localized heat generation, which typically requires solid metallic materials. This paper proposes a pangolin-inspired bi-layered soft robot design that achieves >70 °C heating at >5 cm distances within <30 s, enabling on-demand localized heating with shape-morphing. Advanced functionalities, such as selective cargo release, in situ demagnetization, hyperthermia, and bleeding mitigation, are demonstrated on tissue phantoms and ex vivo tissues.

Ren Hao Soon, Zhen Yin, Metin Alp Dogan, Nihal Olcay Dogan, Mehmet Efe Tiryaki, Alp Can Karacakol, Asli Aydin, Pouria Esmaeili-Dokht, Metin Sitti