Researchers at NUS CDE have developed a soft-robot motion control system using a single artificial muscle, which can produce controlled bends without the need for separate actuators. This approach can help compact robots reach inside machinery for inspection or assembly, or collect samples in places people cannot easily or safely access.
A new paper-thin robot powered by muscle cells can swim through a watery maze, offering a way to design small, efficient biohybrid robots. The robot uses a layer of live muscle cells that twitch in response to light, allowing it to control its direction and speed.
The EMERGE project establishes a philosophical, mathematical and technological framework for collaborative awareness in artificial systems. Researchers found that people can understand an artificial system as aware without assuming subjective experience, and that increasing awareness can improve performance.
A KAIST team uses AI to identify optimal material recipe for 3D-printable, highly stretchable material. The material printed reliably on a DLP 3D printer and showed high stretchability, extending to over six times its original length.
The robots use torsion to store elastic energy and release it all at once, causing them to jump and repeat the process as long as they are exposed to infrared light. Design changes can control the movement, such as jumping forward or leaping vertically.
A new smartphone app called Mobilio uses AI, machine learning, and personalized audio cues to provide turn-by-turn directions, path guidance, and obstacle avoidance for people with blindness or low vision. The app completed outdoor navigation tasks 13% faster and reduced obstacle contact by 41% compared to Google Maps and a white cane.
Researchers developed a new dielectric elastomer that amplifies its own motion through resonance, eliminating the need for rigid supporting structures. The material generates asymmetric electric fields through space-charge accumulation, producing self-induced bending and resonant motion.
The NUS research team developed a self-healing magnetoelectric sensory system (SMES) that combines sensing with autonomous self-repair. The technology overcomes the challenges of conventional sensors, enabling devices to function reliably in both air and water.
Researchers at Penn State have developed paint-on tattoos that can power sensors and track health data like heart rate and brain waves. The innovative conductive ink can be customized with various colors and designs, providing a comfortable and accurate wearable solution.
SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 13, 2026
A mechanical soft force sensor eliminates electronic components, allowing soft robots to sense and respond without power or signal processing. The sensor detects multi-axis forces and converts them directly into fluidic actuation.
Researchers developed EleTac, a soft robotic gripper with high-resolution tactile sensing, to handle delicate objects. The gripper's innovative design enables it to adapt to various shapes and provide gentle forces, making it suitable for applications such as handling fruit, lab samples, and medical supplies.
Scientists from NTU Singapore and Waseda University have developed a flexible 'diving suit' for cyborg cockroaches, allowing them to survive and move underwater for up to three hours. The suit generates oxygen and delivers it directly to the insect's breathing holes, enabling them to thrive in low-oxygen environments.
A team of engineers developed a soft, shape-shifting mechanical surface that responds to touch, senses its movements, and visually communicates changes in real time. The platform combines magnetic actuation, embedded sensing, and LED-based visual feedback into a single programmable system.
A new robot mimics the movement of an inchworm using a soft muscle-like material, allowing it to navigate challenging environments. The robot can be used to inspect sewer pipes or explore the planet Mars without multiple actuators.
A research group developed an edible agent capable of social interaction to explore human-food interactions and psychological acceptance. Participants perceived different behaviors as affecting mind perception and reluctance to eat or guilt, indicating a need for further studies.
Researchers studied elephant trunks to understand properties and derive lessons for next-gen soft robotics. The study found functional zoned architecture allowing amplification of tactile signals while protecting fragile sensors.
Researchers at Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia developed an octopus-inspired soft robotic arm with integrated tactile sensors, enabling autonomous grasp and manipulation in aquatic environments. The system combines distributed tactile sensing and decentralized control to detect contact and adapt grip autonomously.
Researchers developed a dual-mode magnetic elastomer that can move and degrade using a single material platform. The material's degradation process involves rapid temperature rise, triggering degradation without additional heating, while maintaining mechanical properties needed for soft robotic applications.
The NTU Singapore team developed a tiny seed-sized robot that can perform five surgical functions wirelessly, including cutting and releasing drugs. The robot is controlled by weak magnetic fields and takes under a second to switch between functions. It has the potential to make surgeries more precise and safer.
Researchers design polymer networks to replicate dynamic behaviors inspired by biological systems. Self-oscillating gels exhibit rhythmic motion similar to a beating heart, while artificial photosynthetic gels convert light into chemical energy.
The SNU research team created an LCE-based artificial muscle that integrates sensing and actuation functions, mimicking biological muscle-tendon complexes. This breakthrough technology enables robots to delicately manipulate objects and recognize their properties.
Researchers at Seoul National University developed a new mechanical system that amplifies motion and remembers external triggers through magnetic attraction and elastic restoring force. The system, called Elasto-Magnetic Instability (EsMI), enables large-amplitude vibration and efficient energy conversion.
Researchers create living biohybrid miniature robots that solve traditional engineering trade-offs between structural rigidity and environmental adaptability. These biological engines utilize embodied intelligence to navigate complex terrains and achieve performance metrics rivaling state-of-the-art synthetics.
Soft robots could work as medical implants, deliver drugs inside the body, and explore dangerous environments. The researchers designed a reconfigurable robot that can move repeatedly without degradation, using targeted heating to control motion and embedded temperature sensors for closed-loop control.
Scientists have created a network of simple mechanical motors that replicate the key features of actomyosin, the molecular machinery underpinning human muscle contraction. The system 'self-organised' into coordinated travelling waves of motion and automatically adapted as the mechanical load increased, just like human muscles.
A team of researchers developed a fully biodegradable and compostable soft robotic electronic system that maintains high performance and durability during operation yet completely returns to nature after use. The system was made from a water-free biodegradable elastomer and integrated biodegradable inorganic electronic components, exhi...
Researchers created a robotic wing that senses and adapts to water flow, achieving double the stability of a barn owl's glide. The wing consumes five times less energy than traditional AUVs, paving the way for more agile and efficient underwater robots.
Researchers at Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a new fabrication method for printing robotic devices with long filaments featuring precisely placed hollow channels. This allows the device to bend and deform in predetermined ways, enabling the creation of soft robots with predictable s...
A team of researchers from North Carolina State University has created a new method to produce ultra-stretchable, superomniphobic materials using laser ablation. The materials can withstand extreme stretching and deformations while maintaining their liquid-repellent properties.
Researchers discovered functional gradients in elephant and cat whiskers, allowing for precise touch sensing. The stiff-to-soft transition enables elephants to navigate their environment with ease, including picking up delicate objects.
Researchers developed a new AI control system that allows soft robots to learn a broad set of motions once and adapt instantly to changing conditions without retraining. The system combines structural learning with real-time adaptiveness, making it suitable for diverse tasks and environments.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has developed soft magnetorheological textiles with programmable control and flexibility. These innovative materials overcome traditional drawbacks of heavy magnetic powders and health risks, enabling precise intelligent modulation for various applications.
A multimillion-dollar grant supports Rice's Preston and Sanchez in advancing assistive clothing technology. They aim to create comfortable, scalable, and affordable garments that can provide support, balance, and stability for people with mobility limitations.
Scientists created biologically realistic artificial cilia using hydrogel, enabling precise control over their motion. The tiny structures can be powered by low-voltage electrical signals and have shown remarkable durability and versatility.
A low-cost, simple robotic apple picker arm developed by Washington State University researchers can pick an apple in about 25 seconds. The inflatable arm is made of a soft fabric filled with air and weighs less than 50 pounds, making it safe to use in orchards.
A new robotic design uses vine-like structures to lift and grasp a variety of objects, including humans, with a gentler approach. The robot can snake around obstacles, squeeze through tight spaces, and even secure itself in a closed loop to create a sling.
Researchers developed a novel bioelectronic material that transforms from a rigid film to a soft, tissue-like interface upon hydration, enabling seamless integration with living tissues. The device, called THIN, has been shown to record biological signals with high fidelity and stability in animal experiments.
Rothemund aims to harness phase transitions to improve controllability of soft robots, enabling tasks like grasping and crawling through tight spaces. The project seeks to develop new materials and a model robot arm for three-dimensional motion control.
MIT engineers developed artificial tendons made from hydrogel to connect lab-grown muscles with robotic skeletons. The tendons improved the robot's motion and force output by three times, enabling faster and more efficient biohybrid robots.
A swarm of miniature magnetic soft robots, inspired by fish schools, can coordinate their movements to deliver targeted drug therapy to diseased tissue. The robots can navigate through narrow passages and adapt their shape to conform to the lesion's boundaries for optimal drug delivery coverage.
Researchers at the University of Bristol developed a soft robotic exosuit that can reduce muscular fatigue and boost natural movements in astronauts. The technology also has potential applications for people with mobility issues on Earth.
Oxford researchers have developed soft robots that operate without electronics, motors, or computers, using only air pressure to generate complex, rhythmic movements. The robots can automatically synchronize their actions and perform tasks like sorting beads into containers without external control.
Researchers have developed a new method to create smaller soft robots using 'bubble magic' that can navigate and operate within the body's narrow orifices. The soft robots, powered by fluid, have mirror-smooth skin and are ten times slimmer than previous versions.
A team of researchers has developed a tiny, spider-inspired robot that can navigate the digestive system with ease, delivering therapy precisely where it's needed. The soft robot overcomes challenges faced by traditional endoscopes, showcasing its adaptability in traversing complex environments.
Researchers created microscopic DNA 'flowers' that can change shape and behavior in response to their surroundings. These tiny robots, made from special crystals formed by combining DNA and inorganic materials, can perform tasks on their own, from delivering medicine to cleaning up pollution.
Researchers at NC State University have developed origami robots that can navigate the body using magnetic 'muscles.' These robots can deliver medicine to ulcers without reducing surface area, enabling a safe and non-invasive procedure. The technique allows for controlled and steady drug release over time.
Researchers developed a method to trigger magnetic jamming in materials using wireless magnetic fields, enabling reversible and programmable clumping. This technique allows for the creation of structures that can assemble, stiffen, relax, or break apart under magnetic control.
Researchers develop novel dual-laser method to create adaptive, shape-locking devices. The material integrates a shape-memory polymer skeleton with magnetic microcapsules, allowing for 'writing' and 'bending' of instructions and shapes in situ.
Researchers developed a soft robotic skin that allows vine robots to navigate convoluted paths and fragile environments. The robot is steered by controlling the pressure inside its body and temperature of the actuators.
Researchers introduce HydroSpread, a new fabrication method for creating soft robots that can move and adapt on their own. The technology uses liquid polymer to create ultrathin, uniform sheets on water's surface, allowing for complex patterns and controlled movement.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed fidget-controlled robots that utilize metastability to create soft robotic systems. These robots use bistable domes to perform tasks such as grasping and classifying objects, demonstrating the potential for physical systems to replace electronic components in challenging environments.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute developed a magnetisation reprogramming method that allows real-time, in-situ generation and transformation of shapes in soft robots. This technology has potential applications in medicine, particularly in minimally invasive vascular treatments, by reducing friction and contact with vessel walls.
Aniket Pal's team creates viscoelastic polymers for soft robotics, which exhibit both elastic and viscous properties. These materials can be used to make soft robots more functional and intelligent.
A flexible skin-mounted haptic interface can replicate diverse motions using a single actuator, providing rich tactile feedback and versatility. The technology aims to assist humans in various applications, including wearable human-machine interfaces and medical operations.
Chung-Ang University researchers develop innovative soft robots using paper electrodes and liquid crystal elastomers, achieving directional crawling through asymmetric bending. The robots utilize temperature-responsive materials and simple electroless plating patterning, enabling efficient and cost-effective fabrication.
A wearable robot has been upgraded to provide personalized assistance to ALS and stroke patients. The device uses machine learning and a physics-based model to adapt to an individual user's movements, offering more nuanced help with daily tasks.
HIT researchers created multi-material, multi-responsive, multi-shape shape memory polymer (SMP) gradient metamaterials with tunable properties. These smart materials can adapt to different tasks without extra tools or infrastructure, enabling applications such as secure information storage and soft robotic systems.
Researchers developed an alginate-based microrobot that can be tracked using Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) and performs real-time localization, selective thermal therapy, and cell delivery. The robot is powered by a single magnetic actuation system independent of conventional medical imaging devices.
Researchers develop predictive framework that connects silicone curing conditions with adhesion strength, enabling dramatic improvements in performance for molded and 3D-printed elastomer components. The 'reaction coordinate' metric allows precise tracking of the degree of curing, even under variable thermal conditions.
A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that interacting with robots through social games makes them seem more human-like. The researchers used a box-shaped robot called Cozmo and found that participants who played games with it considered it more human-like, whereas those who interacted mechanically did not.