Soft robots are a specialized class of robotic systems built from flexible, deformable materials such as silicone, elastomers, gels, and fluid-driven structures. Inspired by biological organisms like octopuses, worms, and eels, these robots are designed to bend, stretch, and adapt to their environment rather than rely on rigid mechanical joints. Their inherent compliance makes them particularly suited for safe human interaction, delicate object manipulation, and operation in confined or unpredictable spaces. This topic explores soft actuators, pneumatic and hydraulic systems, bio-inspired design, and emerging manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing of flexible components. As robotics expands beyond structured industrial settings, soft robots represent an important direction for adaptive, resilient, and human-friendly machines.
Harvard researchers have introduced a multimaterial 3D printing technique that enables soft robots to bend and morph in predictable ways, potentially simplifying fabrication for surgical and assistive applications.
Samsung Electronics has launched a new AI-powered robot vacuum in South Korea, aiming to regain market share from Chinese rivals that currently dominate more than 70 percent of the domestic segment.
Alibaba has unveiled RynnBrain, an artificial intelligence model designed to help robots understand and interact with the physical world, marking the company’s latest move into physical AI and embodied robotics.
China has launched the world’s first humanoid robot free combat league in Shenzhen, turning martial arts-style competition into a real-world testing ground for embodied AI and robotics.
Humanoid robots have joined monks at China’s Shaolin Temple for kung fu training, highlighting how physical AI is increasingly intersecting with human movement, culture, and embodied learning.
China’s Li Auto is expanding beyond electric vehicles, positioning artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics as core pillars of its long-term strategy.
Electric vehicle startup Faraday Future is shifting its strategy toward humanoid robots and embodied AI, joining a growing list of automakers betting on robotics to redefine their future beyond cars.
A Shanghai-based robotics team has unveiled Moya, a humanoid robot designed with warm synthetic skin, expressive facial reactions, and a walking gait that closely mirrors human movement.
Engineers at Duke University have created modular building blocks whose stiffness, damping, and motion can be reprogrammed on demand – without changing their shape.
New York Robotics has formally launched as the Tri-State region surpasses 160 robotics startups, signaling New York’s rise as a major global center for robotics and physical AI.