Can Robots Give Good Hugs?
We could all use a hug once in a while. Most people would probably say the shared warmth is nice, and the squishiness of another living, breathing meatbag is pretty …read more Continue reading Can Robots Give Good Hugs?
Tag Archives: Soft Robotics
Squishy Robot Hardware Does Well Under Pressure
If your jealousy for Festo robots is festering, fret not! [mikey77] has shown us that, even without giant piggy banks, we can still construct some fantastic soft robotics projects with …read more Continue reading Squishy Robot Hardware Does Well Under Pressure
Water-strider-inspired robot may one day clean up oil spills
It’s possible that someday in the future, sunlight-powered robots may be able to swim across marine oil spills, soaking up the oil as they go. A tiny functioning prototype has already been created, and it was inspired by both the steam engine and an in… Continue reading Water-strider-inspired robot may one day clean up oil spills
“Super jelly” becomes like shatterproof glass when run over by a car
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new type of soft material with an ability to endure monumental forces. Described as “super jelly,” the novel hydrogel uses a unique internal structure likened to molecular handcuffs to respond … Continue reading “Super jelly” becomes like shatterproof glass when run over by a car
“Bubble casting” tech used to create soft actuators for soft robots
Although soft-bodied robots show great promise for tasks such as squeezing through tight spaces, it’s a bit counterproductive if their soft appendages are moved by hard actuators. A new technology addresses that problem, via the use of “fancy balloons…. Continue reading “Bubble casting” tech used to create soft actuators for soft robots
Scale-inspired battery stretches and bends like a snake
A new battery design out of Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials promises to open up some interesting possibilities in energy storage, by bending and stretching like a snake. This ability to mimic the behavior of the creature’s individual scales … Continue reading Scale-inspired battery stretches and bends like a snake
Worm-inspired robot “senses” its body position to inch its way forward
Scientists pushing the frontiers of soft robotics continue to find inspiration in the animal kingdom, with the latest examples that move like inchworms and earthworms deploying some novel sensor technology. The stretchy new robots make use of flexible … Continue reading Worm-inspired robot “senses” its body position to inch its way forward
New understanding of gecko landing process may lead to nimbler robots
When leaping geckos crash head-first into vertical surfaces such as tree trunks, they’re able to hang onto that surface instead of bouncing off and falling to the ground. Scientists have discovered what allows them to do so, and copied the capability i… Continue reading New understanding of gecko landing process may lead to nimbler robots
The BornHack Badge Gets A Bubble
In a year of semiconductor shortages it’s a difficult task to deliver an electronic conference badge, so this year’s BornHack camp in Denmark had an SAO prototyping board as its …read more Continue reading The BornHack Badge Gets A Bubble
Get Your Flex On With The FlowIO Platform
Hackaday Prize 2021 entry FlowIO Platform promises to be to pneumatics what Arduino is to Electronics. The modular platform comprises a common controller/valve block, a selection of differently sized pumps, …read more Continue reading Get Your Flex On With The FlowIO Platform