Stanford’s vine-like soft robot grows from the tip to reach trapped people
lukas_m_ziegler · x · 2026-07-23
Stanford researchers built a soft “growing” robot that advances like a vine instead of crawling on wheels or legs.
- It starts as an inside-out tube and extends from the tip while the rest of the body stays still.
- Because only the tip moves, the robot can squeeze through rubble, turn corners, and keep advancing even when part of the body is stuck or punctured.
- In tests it navigated nails, glue, flypaper, narrow gaps, and icy surfaces, making it a candidate for search-and-rescue use in hard-to-reach places.
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