Articles tagged with "soft-robotics"
Color-changing skins created for robots to react without wires, screens
Researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have developed stretchable, synthetic skins that mimic the color-changing abilities of cephalopods like squids and octopuses. These skins replicate chromatophores—pigment-filled sacs in cephalopod skin that change appearance when muscles spread the pigment—allowing the materials to dynamically alter color in response to environmental stimuli such as heat, light, pH, and humidity. Unlike traditional electronic displays, these autonomous materials operate without wires, rigid electronics, or user input, enabling soft, flexible devices that sense and react to their surroundings in real time. The technology holds significant promise for applications in soft robotics and wearable devices, where flexibility, adaptability, and water resistance are critical. By tuning the chemical composition, the skins can be programmed to respond to specific environmental triggers, potentially allowing a single wearable to monitor multiple parameters simultaneously. This innovation could replace conventional LED screens or fixed components in certain contexts, offering a new class of human-machine interfaces that display information through
robotmaterialssoft-roboticssynthetic-skinscolor-changing-materialswearable-technologystimuli-responsive-materialsTofu-like brain implant lets scientists track cyborg tadpole growth
Bioengineering researchers at Harvard SEAS have developed a soft, stretchable, tofu-like neural implant that can be integrated into the nervous system of live tadpole embryos to monitor brain development from its earliest stages. The implant, made from fluorinated elastomers that mimic the softness and flexibility of biological tissue, is embedded into the neural plate—the flat precursor to the brain and spinal cord—and can record electrical activity from individual neurons with millisecond precision without disrupting normal development or behavior. This innovation enables continuous, stable tracking of neural activity throughout the complex folding and formation of the brain, offering unprecedented insight into early brain development. The technology addresses a critical gap, as current methods cannot noninvasively monitor neural activity during early embryonic stages when disorders such as autism, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may originate. By leveraging the natural growth process, the implant can expand with the developing brain, potentially allowing widespread sensor implantation across the 3D brain structure. This advancement builds on previous work with soft bioelectronics in organ
bioelectronicsneural-implantsbrain-developmentbioengineeringfluorinated-elastomerssoft-roboticsneural-monitoringFlexible soft robot arm moves with light — no wires or chips inside
Engineers at Rice University have developed a flexible, octopus-inspired soft robotic arm that operates entirely through light beams, eliminating the need for wires or internal electronics. This innovative arm is powered by a light-responsive polymer called azobenzene liquid crystal elastomer, which contracts when exposed to blue laser light and relaxes in the dark, enabling precise bending motions. The arm’s movement mimics natural behaviors, such as a flower stem bending toward sunlight, allowing it to perform complex tasks like obstacle navigation and hitting a ball with accuracy. The control system uses a spatial light modulator to split a laser into multiple adjustable beamlets, each targeting different parts of the arm to flex or contract as needed. Machine learning, specifically a convolutional neural network trained on various light patterns and corresponding arm movements, enables real-time, automated control of the arm’s fluid motions. Although the current prototype operates in two dimensions, the researchers aim to develop three-dimensional versions with additional sensors, potentially benefiting applications ranging from implantable surgical devices to industrial robots handling soft materials. This approach promises robots with far greater flexibility and degrees of freedom than traditional rigid-jointed machines.
soft-roboticslight-responsive-materialsazobenzene-liquid-crystal-elastomermachine-learningflexible-robot-armremote-control-roboticsbio-inspired-roboticsCongratulations to the #ICRA2025 best paper award winners - Robohub
The 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), held from May 19-23 in Atlanta, USA, announced its best paper award winners and finalists across multiple categories. The awards recognized outstanding research contributions in areas such as robot learning, field and service robotics, human-robot interaction, mechanisms and design, planning and control, and robot perception. Each category featured a winning paper along with several finalists, highlighting cutting-edge advancements in robotics. Notable winners include "Robo-DM: Data Management for Large Robot Datasets" by Kaiyuan Chen et al. for robot learning, "PolyTouch: A Robust Multi-Modal Tactile Sensor for Contact-Rich Manipulation Using Tactile-Diffusion Policies" by Jialiang Zhao et al. for field and service robotics, and "Human-Agent Joint Learning for Efficient Robot Manipulation Skill Acquisition" by Shengchent Luo et al. for human-robot interaction. Other winning papers addressed topics such as soft robot worm behaviors, robust sequential task solving via dynamically composed gradient descent, and metrics-aware covariance for stereo visual odometry. The finalists presented innovative work ranging from drone detection to adaptive navigation and assistive robotics, reflecting the broad scope and rapid progress in the robotics field showcased at ICRA 2025.
roboticsrobot-learninghuman-robot-interactiontactile-sensorsrobot-automationsoft-roboticsrobot-navigationNew soft robot wriggles through tight spaces with kirigami skin
robotsoft-roboticskirigamibioinspired-designautonomous-explorationinflatable-actuatorshuman-machine-interfaceSnake and insect-inspired robots team up to do what humans can't
robotinspectionmicrorobotssoft-roboticsautomationengineeringtechnologyLight-powered underwater robots achieve 2x mammalian muscle strength
robotsoft-roboticsartificial-musclesunderwater-roboticslight-responsive-materialsphotochemical-actuatorsazobenzeneOctopus-inspired robot can decide how to grip objects with accuracy
robotoctopus-inspiredsoft-roboticssuction-intelligencedexterous-manipulationenvironmental-sensingmultimodal-perceptionWhat’s coming up at #ICRA2025?
robotroboticsautomationICRA2025human-robot-interactionsoft-roboticsmulti-robot-systemsNortheastern soft robotic arm wins MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge at Robotics Summit
robotsoft-roboticsrobotic-armrobotics-competitionMassRoboticsinnovationtechnologyRobot Talk Episode 113 – Soft robotic hands, with Kaspar Althoefer
roboticssoft-roboticsrobotic-handsKaspar-AlthoefertechnologyengineeringRobohubRobot Talk Episode 118 – Soft robotics and electronic skin, with Miranda Lowther
soft-roboticselectronic-skinroboticstechnologyMiranda-LowtherUniversity-of-BristolRobohub