Soft Robotics

Materials that can heal themselves after becoming damaged have opened up some interesting new possibilities over the past decade or so, and a newly developed example inspired by squid ring teeth is claimed to act faster than most.

Generally speaking, robotic "hands" vary between rigid devices with a firm grasp, and softer, gentler gadgets that are a bit wimpier. Now, however, scientists have created an appendage that they claim combines the best features of both.

A team of researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have drawn inspiration from a tiny tentacled marine creature to produce a centimeter-scale robot that is powered by magnets and light.

By turning to the paper-based art form of kirigami for inspiration, a team of Harvard researchers has developed a system for programmable balloons that can take of all kinds of “crazy” shapes when inflated.

The uniquely efficient movement of jellyfish has made them a popular model of study for robotics researchers, and scientists are now showing off a new machine inspired by these creatures that uses air channels to swim at great speeds.

Remember those toys that sprang up into the air after you pushed them down? They're called poppers, and they've inspired an actuator that could one day allow soft-bodied robots to jump across rough terrain.

Flexible robotic surgical devices show a lot of promise, as they're able to move through delicate parts of the body without causing damage. Thanks to a new system, it could soon be cheaper, safer and easier to track where they are within the patient.

When we think of soft-bodied robots, we tend to picture things that slowly crawl like caterpillars. A new one is able to move much quicker, though, by leaping like a cheetah.

Soft-bodied robots have numerous desirable qualities, such as the ability to squeeze through gaps. And so far, they've typically been manually assembled on a one-off basis. That could be about to change, though, thanks to a new manufacturing method.

Scientists at Stanford University and University of California, Santa Barbara have put forward a particularly interesting soft robot design, showing off an inflatable machine that can change shape and roll in controllable directions while untethered.

Getting rid of excess heat from a robot can be the difference between smooth operation and breakdown. Researchers at Cornell University have developed 3D-printed robot fingers that can regulate temperature by sweating.

When it comes to soft-bodied robotic devices, there are ones that are squishy like rubber, or that fold like origami. The latter could soon be much lighter, hardier and capable, thanks to an electrically-conductive folding metallic material.