Soon, a flexible octopus-like robot could be completely free of wires or internal electronics. Engineers at Rice University have unveiled a new soft robotic arm controlled by laser beams.

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 News) Roboticists have long aspired to match the dexterity and adaptability of animals with engineered creations. Soft-bodied creatures like octopuses can smoothly interact with uncertain ...

For the first time, engineers have digitally recreated the complex muscular architecture of the octopus arm and its unique movements, which opens the door to developing soft robotics with ...

A research team led by a professor from China’s Beihang University has created a soft robotic arm that closely mimics the intricate movements of an octopus, representing a step forward for advanced ...

US engineers have built the first ever self-contained, completely soft robot - in the shape of a small octopus. Made from silicone gels of varying stiffness, the "octobot" is powered by a chemical ...

A team of scientists and engineers at Harvard University have built the first entirely soft, autonomous robot. The aptly named Octobot was built using 3D printing, molding, and soft lithography ...

Scientists inspired by the octopus’s nervous system have developed a robot that can decide how to move or grip objects by sensing its environment. The team from the University of Bristol’s Faculty of ...

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) have unveiled a novel robotic structure, the "trimmed helicoid," inspired by the movements of elephant trunks and octopus ...

When you think of a robot, you probably imagine a metallic humanoid — and indeed, most robots today have hard, rigid bodies made of metal and plastic. But the robots of the future may actually be a ...