Swedish researchers have developed a breakthrough 3D printing method to create soft actuators. These dielectric elastic actuators (DEA) are made from silicone-based materials, combining conductive ...

Researchers are continuing to make progress on developing a new synthetic material that behaves like biological muscle, an ...

Researchers are beginning to bridge the gap between humans and robots by inventing technology to make it safer for them to work alongside each other. As part of this effort, researchers at the Wyss ...

Soft robots are only as capable as the artificial muscles that drive them, and for years those muscles have forced a trade-off between strength and flexibility. A new magnetic polymer design is ...

Electroactive polymer actuators represent a rapidly evolving field in materials science, where electrically induced deformations in polymers are harnessed to produce controlled mechanical motion.

Roboticists have been motivated by a long-standing goal to make robots safer. The new actuator could be used to develop inexpensive, soft, flexible robots which are safer and more practical for ...

Despite their remarkable flexibility, today’s soft artificial muscles struggle to deliver meaningful force. This ...

MIT engineers have developed a new spring (shown in Petri dish) that maximizes the work of natural muscles. When living muscle tissue is attached to posts at the corners of the device, the muscle’s ...

Our muscles are nature’s actuators. The sinewy tissue is what generates the forces that make our bodies move. In recent years, engineers have used real muscle tissue to actuate “biohybrid robots” made ...

However, developing artificial muscles that can compare to the real thing is a major technical challenge. In order to keep up with their biological counterparts, artificial muscles must not only be ...

Biohybrid robotics integrates living tissues with engineered materials to yield devices that blend the adaptability of biological systems with synthetic robustness. This convergence of biology and ...

Firms are working to make the motors that drive robots more efficient and cheaper.