The Many Textures of Robotics: Flexible Materials That Conform to and Interact with the Human Body May Mean Better Outcomes for Patients

Innovative researchers are employing flexible, rather than rigid materials in combination with new design approaches as part of the emerging field of biomedical soft robotics. The idea is to generate tools that conform to and interact with the human body in a much more natural and lightweight way, providing better treatment options for clinicians and translating into better outcomes for patients.