Vine robot grows around corners: dual-vine design steers 90° for surgery
Scobleizer · x · 2026-09-07
An arXiv paper presents a multi-vine soft robot that moves by everting material from its tip, so the body barely slides against its environment — ideal for navigating anatomy like the colon.
- Two independently controlled vines are coupled around a separate working channel; growing them at different rates bends the structure while the center stays free for a camera, sensor, or surgical tool
- The prototype steers through nearly 90° while still growing
- Motivated by sharp anatomy like the sigmoid colon; still a benchtop demonstration
Scoble's take: one of these might crawl around inside your body someday.
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