Folks blessed with a soft touch seem to have no problem getting to grips with delicate objects, but it can be a tough ask for robots. Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering ...

In another example of unsettling biomimicry, engineering researchers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney were inspired by an elephant’s trunk and designed what looks more like a robotic ...

Chameleon tongues, gecko feet and octopus tentacles are just a few of the animal body parts we’ve seen inspire soft robotic grippers, but nature still has plenty to offer researchers in this field. A ...

Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.

A soft robot gripper changes shape to gently lift fragile objects and even humans, combining flexibility with surprising strength.

Engineers have invented a rubber-tentacled robot inspired by jellyfish that is capable of gently grasping fragile objects in ways never before thought possible. A team from Harvard University claims ...

If you’ve ever experimented with a robot gripper, you’ll know that while it is easy to make an analogue of the human ability to grip between thumb and forefinger, it is extremely difficult to capture ...

The gripper designed by engineers from Harvard side-steps the challenge of recreating the human hand by throwing a bunch of tentacles at the problem The gripper designed by engineers from Harvard side ...

(Nanowerk News) In the horticultural world, some vines are especially grabby. As they grow, the woody tendrils can wrap around obstacles with enough force to pull down entire fences and trees.