Bioinspired soft robotics investigates compliant robotic systems that emulate the mechanics, morphology, and control strategies of animals and other biological organisms. The field develops artificial muscles, soft actuators, and mechanical metamaterials using polymers, hydrogels, liquid crystal elastomers, and textile or origami-based structures to achieve muscle-like motion, shape morphing, and adaptive stiffness. It spans scales from sub-millimeter microrobots to larger soft-bodied platforms, integrating sensing, flexible electronics, and biohybrid components for autonomous locomotion, manipulation, and interaction in complex environments, particularly in aquatic and terrestrial settings.
Robotics
A cheetah's powerful sprint, a snake's lithe slither, or a human's deft grasp: Each is made possible by the seamless interplay between soft and rigid tissues. Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones work together to provide ...
Jul 16, 2025
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Robotics
Today's robots are stuck—their bodies are usually closed systems that can neither grow nor self-repair, nor adapt to their environment. Now, scientists at Columbia University have developed robots that can physically "grow," ...
Jul 16, 2025
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Robotics
In the midst of the co-development of artificial intelligence and robotic advancements, developing technologies that enable robots to efficiently perceive and respond to their surroundings like humans has become a crucial ...
Jul 16, 2025
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Robotics
The slimy, segmented, bottom-dwelling California blackworm is about as unappealing as it gets—but get a few dozen or thousand together, and they form a massive, entangled blob that seems to take on a life of its own.
Jul 15, 2025
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Robotics
Conventional robots, like those used in industry and hazardous environments, are easy to model and control, but are too rigid to operate in confined spaces and uneven terrain. Soft, bio-inspired robots are far better at adapting ...
Automotive
Marine scientists have long marveled at how animals like fish and seals swim so efficiently despite having different shapes. Their bodies are optimized for efficient aquatic navigation (or hydrodynamics), so they can exert ...
Jul 4, 2025
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Robotics
While so far robots have predominantly been deployed individually, as teams, they can tackle a wider range of complex missions with remarkable speed and efficiency. For instance, they could help to rapidly transport objects ...
Electronics & Semiconductors
Traditional military training often relies on standardized methods, which has limited the provision of optimized training tailored to individual combatants' characteristics or specific combat situations. To address this, ...
Jun 30, 2025
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Robotics
Inspired by a simple children's toy, a jumping popper toy, researchers have unlocked a key to designing more agile and predictable soft robots. Soft robots, made from flexible materials, hold immense promise for delicate ...
Jun 30, 2025
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Robotics
Imagine a future in which people with disabilities can walk on their own, thanks to robotic legs. A new project from Northern Arizona University is accelerating that future with an open-source robotic exoskeleton.
Jun 25, 2025
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