As the field of soft robotics continues to evolve, one of the most critical challenges researchers face is developing reliable and efficient power sources to drive these pliable machines.
In this episode, we talk about a novel approach to multi-material 3D printing that’ll enable the production of soft components capable of contracting in a similar fashion to muscles.
Inspired by the biomechanics of the manta ray, researchers at North Carolina State University have developed an energy-efficient soft robot that can swim more than four times faster than previous swimming soft robots.
In this episode, we talk about how engineers inspired by some of biology’s most miniature wonders (like dandelions' seeds and microorganisms' cilia) are using their knowledge to make major breakthroughs in biosensing, robotics, biomedical engineering, and more.
In a recent project, Professor Edward Adelson and Sandra Liu — a mechanical engineering PhD student at CSAIL — have developed a robotic gripper using novel “GelSight Fin Ray” fingers that, like the human hand, is supple enough to manipulate objects.
While the concept of a hugging robot may sound bizarre, the researchers behind the project — now in its third generation — believe that such a device could have a major impact on everything from social telepresence to elder care.