soft robotics

MIT researchers have built a paper-thin robot that swims through watery mazes using living muscle cells as its power source, with no external motor or battery. The biohybrid device can navigate obstacles, a step toward medical applications such as targeted drug delivery inside the body. The combination of soft robotics and biological tissue is drawing wide attention.

Researchers have developed a soft robotic material modeled on the Venus flytrap that can sense nearby objects and automatically grasp them when exposed to light. The material combines sensing and actuation in one component, pointing to simpler, faster soft robotics for handling delicate items without complex controls or external sensors.

Researchers at KAIST in South Korea have developed a new material for robotic hands inspired by the Venus flytrap, which can sense objects and grasp them when stimulated by light. The biomimetic design is being reported by science news outlets, drawing attention for combining sensing and actuation in a single soft material that responds without complex electronics.

MIT researchers have developed a paper-thin robotic device that swims using living muscle cells, according to a report by Interesting Engineering. The tiny biohybrid robot moves through fluid by harnessing the natural contractions of muscle tissue rather than conventional motors, pointing to new possibilities for soft robotics and medical devices. Coverage of the project is spreading as readers share the unusual combination of biological and engineered components.