Design and simulate soft robots inspired by MIT CSAIL research. Explore pneumatic actuators, silicone elastomers, and bio-inspired locomotion. Create robots that can safely interact with humans and delicate environments.
Robot made primarily from flexible, deformable materials
Actuator
Component that creates motion
Pneumatic
Powered by compressed air
Elastomer
Rubber-like material that can stretch and return
PneuNet
Pneumatic network - channels in soft material
ShoreHardness
Measure of material softness
Biomimicry
Copying designs from nature
Proprioception
Sensing own body position
💬 Message to Learners
{'encouragement': 'Soft robotics is one of the most exciting frontiers in engineering. These robots can go where rigid robots cannot and interact safely with humans.', 'action': 'Design your own soft gripper. Experiment with different actuator pressures. Watch how changing the material affects behavior.', 'dream': 'A student in Kenya might design a soft robot for agriculture. An engineer in Brazil might create wearable assistive devices. The future of robotics is soft!', 'wiaVision': 'WIA believes everyone should experience cutting-edge robotics research. Soft robots represent a paradigm shift in how we think about machines.'}