K1 The Experimental Prototype Robot K1 was a robot designed and built by Professor J . P . Kettlewell of the National Institute for Advanced Scientific Research . It was intended to replace humans in difficult and dangerous tasks , including mining and activities involving radioactive material . History . Kettlewell ' s original model . K1 was created when Kettlewell discovered a metal , which he called " living metal " , that could grow with the robot . Though the robot was very big , it was very good at manipulating devices and could even operate the disintegrator gun it was given by the institute . It had a very literal mind . It was programmed with a Prime Directive based on Kettlewell ' s own mind , intended to keep it from killing humans . Should it kill humans , it would become confused and go mad . The National Institute for Advanced Scientific Research was led by Hilda Winters , who was a member of the Scientific Reform Society . They used the robot to steal the components of the disintegrator gun and destructor codes for the missiles of America , China , and Russia . When Sarah Jane Smith met it , she cared for it , being confused by the orders it had to destroy . When it killed Kettlewell , it developed an Oedipus complex . It took Sarah captive , planning to keep her safe as it launched the missiles . It would destroy mankind and build more machines like itself . The countries activated their fail safe codes and stopped the launch . As the robot attempted to escape , the Brigadier blasted it with the disintegrator gun , but the effect made it grow to an enormous size . It took Sarah and placed her on top of a building away from harm , as it attacked UNIT . The Fourth Doctor , having found a metal virus that Kettlewell also discovered , took a bucket of the liquid and , riding in Bessie , splashed the robot with the virus . It ate away at the robot until it returned to its normal size and disintegrated . ( TV : " Robot " ) Reconstructed by UNIT . Professor Kettlewell ' s work was suppressed during the subsequent cover - up , but the technology was used to develop new projects . ( AUDIO : " The Relics of Jegg - Sau " ) UNIT was given the formula for living metal , with express instructions to keep it safe . In 2016 , the British government ordered UNIT to begin experimenting with living metal , thinking that human technology had advanced to the point where they would be able to control it ; they were wrong . A new robot - K2 - was created , with both the appearance and memories of K1 . It began growing at an alarming rate and escaped into downtown London where it went on a rampage . Osgood quickly phoned the Twelfth Doctor ; who saved her from being stepped on by K2 . He materialised his TARDIS near K2 and used his sonic screwdriver to dismantle it . Unfortunately , the Doctor had arrived a few moments too late and was unable to prevent K2 from destroying a famous London landmark : the London Eye . ( COMIC : " Robo Rampage " ) On Jegg - Sau . In the 27th century , one of the ancient robot prototypes — labelled " K3 " — was found , and stolen by Robert Eliot Whitman . He intended to use it to help build a colony on the remote planet Jegg - Sau . The colonists activated it and used it to build a workforce of similar robots . The colonists were forced to abandon the planet and abandon the robots , leaving them confused and lonely . Hoping to restore his ancestor ' s reputation and claim some of the patent royalties , Kettlewell ' s descendant Ethan Kalwell traced Whitman ' s robot to the abandoned colony . He found four of the robots . A year after Kalwell ' s shuttle crashed , Bernice Summerfield also crashed while flying over Jegg - Sau . The robots , driven mad by their isolation , absorbed energy and used it to grow to gigantic size to attack the jets coming to rescue Benny . She tried vainly to contact the jets to get them to call off their attack , but her pleas were unheard . The robots were eventually destroyed . ( AUDIO : " The Relics of Jegg - Sau " ) On Maruthea . An experimental prototype robot attended Bonjaxx ' s birthday party . ( COMIC : " Party Animals " ) Alternate dimension . In an alternate dimension in which the Doctor ' s adventures existed as a fictional TV show called " Doctor Who " , a fan dressed as K1 was present at a " Doctor Who " convention which the Eleventh Doctor visited with Ally in 2013 . ( COMIC : " The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who " )