With a flick of a switch, current technologies allow you to quickly change materials from being dark to light, or cold to hot, just by blocking or transmitting specific wavelengths. But now, inspired ...

Most people can relate to having a laptop charger break right where the flexible cable meets the solid adapter. This is just one example of how difficult it is to effectively interface hard and soft ...

The mechanics behind the collapse of soft materials structure have befuddled researchers for decades. In a new study, researchers uncover a metric that finally correlates microscopic-level processes ...

Understanding how soft materials fail under stress is critical for solving engineering challenges as disparate as pharmaceutical technology and landslide prevention. A new study linking a spectrum of ...

Scientists who want to build robots from soft materials have long favored hydrogels to serve as artificial muscles in the machines. But these materials usually can’t muster the strength of real ...

Soft materials and stiff materials both have their uses, but the two properties typically aren't seen in one substance. RoboFabric is an exception, then, in that it can be switched back and forth ...

(Nanowerk Spotlight) Soft materials such as polymers, rubbers, and hydrogels play a significant role in your everyday life. From your car's tires to the elastic in your favorite loungewear, from ...

A ring of beads connected to tentacles A modeling study shows how chemical reactions can stimulate motion in simple systems, like the structure here—made of enzyme coated beads connected to ...

Researchers have developed a soft robotic hand that delicately handles eggs while lifting heavier objects using AI-designed ...

Scientists in South Korea have developed a soft 3D-printing material that can stretch to more than six times its original ...