Researchers from MIT and other institutions have developed a new type of actuator -- a mechanical component relying on movement -- that works in extremely hot environments. Their newly developed material could be used in, say, maintenance robots working in nuclear reactors. To achieve this temperature pliability, the scientists' new system uses oxide systems like those used in rechargeable batteries: As ions move in and out, they expand and contract. Similarly, the researchers' material bends with the flow of oxygen in and out.