Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

A new robotic exoskeleton could allow people who have lost the use of their legs to stand up and even walk. It may also help get them walking unaided again, by guiding their movements and holding them up as they take part in rehabilitative therapy.

When it comes to tasks like the exploration of unstructured environments, traditional robots may be stymied by obstacles such as uncrossable gaps. That's where the FiloBot comes in, as it grows like a self-supporting vine.

Researchers have developed an ultrathin electronic tattoo capable of reproducing the localized sensation of touch in its wearer. The device has the potential to be used to manufacture haptic displays and devices for healthcare and robotics.

Trees such as maples have "fruits" known as samaras, which consist of a seed joined to a papery wing. Scientists have now created artificial samaras, which could be used to quickly and easily monitor soil temperature from the air.

Italian researchers have created a novel 4D-printed biodegradable 'seed robot' that changes shape in response to changes in humidity and can navigate through the soil. The device has great potential as a new way of monitoring the environment.

Although it's generally not a good idea to swallow batteries, ingestible medical electronic devices often have batteries in them. A new type of battery could make such devices safer to use, as it's made entirely of edible ingredients.

Earthworms move through the soil not just by wriggling around, but by sending peristaltic waves down their bodies. A new robot, which employs that same strategy, could one day be used in underground exploration or even search-and-rescue missions.

Sci-fi fans may recall the bipedal robots from the 1972 film Silent Running, which performed maintenance on the outside of the spaceship. Well, the new MARM robot is reminiscent of them – except it has three limbs, for optimum dexterity and mobility.

Just because a food item may be frozen when you buy it, that doesn't mean it wasn't thawed and refrozen somewhere along the line. A new self-powered sensor, however, would change color to let you know if that had happened.

We've been hearing a lot about "artificial muscles," which allow robotic devices to perform human-like motions. And while most of them have been produced in labs utilizing high-tech materials, a new type could be made by hobbyists using a 3D printer.

We first heard about the iCub humanoid robot in 2011, when it was nominated to take part in the Olympic Torch Relay. The latest and greatest version, the iCub 3, was the star of a recently-announced (and pretty impressive) telepresence demonstration.

Scientists at the Italian Institute of Technology have developed what they describe as the first biodegradable version of Velcro which, while it won't keep your shoes on, can be attached to plants for the purposes of environmental monitoring.