In a laboratory in Connecticut, a palm-sized silicone robot scrunches up its body to inch forward in a caterpillar-like motion. A brick tips over onto its leg, trapping it as it struggles to move on.

While there are many potential uses for soft-bodied robots, the things are still typically only built in small experimental batches. Scottish scientists are out to change that, with a ...

A cheetah’s powerful sprint, a snake’s lithe slither, or a human’s deft grasp: each is made possible by the seamless interplay between soft and rigid tissues. Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones ...

A research team in South Korea has developed a soft robot named Octoid that can mimic the movement and behavior of an octopus in its natural habitat. The robot's "triple-in-one" system enables it to ...

Researchers have developed a soft robot capable of crawling like a worm, climbing cables, and rapidly changing shape to shift directions—all powered by a single air input. Soft robots are flexible but ...