In a proof-of-concept study that integrates smart materials, machine learning and an optical control system, a team of Rice researchers led by materials scientist Hanyu Zhu used a light-patterning ...

(Nanowerk Spotlight) Precision in drug delivery has long posed a significant challenge to the medical field. Relying on the body’s circulatory system to transport medications often results in ...

Robots that move, lift, and sense objects without electronics are now possible. They work using materials that snap and bend ...

A kirigami-skinned soft robot powered by pneumatic muscles achieves crawling, steering and obstacle avoidance, advancing ...

A new machine-learning technique can train and control a reconfigurable soft robot that can dynamically change its shape to complete a task. The researchers also built a simulator that can evaluate ...

For many people living with neurodegenerative diseases or recovering from stroke, daily routines can become exhausting ...

Picture a robot controlled by micromotors so small and light that it suspends itself over water like a bug. With engineers at ...

Robotic dog on show at the Barbican. — © Image by Tim Sandle. Robotic dog on show at the Barbican. — © Image by Tim Sandle. Grain-sized soft robots that can be ...

Could the future of rescue missions and exploration lie in the hands—or rather, the flexible movements—of a swarm of ...