New robot handles the mundane and routine tasks required in every laboratory

Such soft robots contain tremendous potential for future applications as they adapt to dynamic environments and are well-suited to closely interact with humans

Scientists suggest their findings could lead to a way to deliver drugs to parts of the body that are otherwise difficult to treat

New material mimics the way a human finger experiences tension and compression as it slides along a surface or distinguishes among different textures

Creation has applications in manufacturing, medicine, and space

Researchers will study and develop materials that mimic such material as sticky and durable caddisfly silk, the adaptable skin of a sea cucumber, and a substance that directs cellular behavior

Robots and prosthetics are becoming ever more human-like, but the electronic skins designed to enhance their usefulness don't yet have the full range of tactile senses that we have

One difficulty in nanorobot design is to make nanostructures sense and respond to the environment

Robotics can be competitive with human labor in some cases already, and falling costs over the next decade will open up more applications, says Lux Research

Long-term NSF support for Harvard University researchers helps develop unique flying micro-robots