Minnesota: Scientists at the University of Minnesota have developed a process that enables soft robots to grow like a plant. The related study was published in the journal ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Science’.
With the new discovery, researchers will be able to build soft robots that can reach complex terrains and various places inside the human body. Soft robotics is the process of making robots using soft and bendable materials instead of hard materials.
Soft robots currently being tested were unable to navigate curves and turns. The new discovery of scientists is a solution to this. Researchers were able to mimic plants using a technique called ‘photopolymerization’. It uses light to convert liquid monomers into solids. With this technology, this soft robot can easily navigate the winding paths.