Soft Robot Can Change Shape, Bend, Grip and Walk (VIDEO)

First Posted: Oct 15, 2015 01:24 PM EDT

Imagine soft robots that can bend, walk and grip. That's exactly what scientists have created in this latest study, which may herald a new age of robotics.

Unlike their rigid counterparts, these soft robots have the ability to be flattened and bounce back into shape. The soft robots, which change color as they stretch, may also pave the way to robot camouflage, new ways to deliver medicines and other applications.

Most commercial robots are stiff and made of hard plastics and metals. These new robots, though, could bridge the bag between inflexible robots and the more fluid movements of animals.

The new robots work when operators pump them full with gases or liquids. This inflation results in specific changes and desired movements. In order to impart more versatility to the devices, though, the researchers wanted to take advantage of the molecular changes that occur when a robot curls or twists.

The scientists actually incorporated color-changing compounds in their robots' material that are activated when stretched. In theory, this ability could help a robot camouflage itself when it moves. Because the color change is most intense where the strain on the material is the highest, it could also indicate to researchers where it's vulnerable to breaking.

In the future, these robots could incorporate compounds that could then release drug molecules. In addition, the robot could be developed to repair any material once it ruptures.

The findings are published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Want to learn more? Check out the video below, courtesy of YouTube.