The Tufts' squishable softbot (pdf) is about 12 inches long and made of silicon elastomer and was created as part of ongoing interdisciplinary research at Tufts' School of Arts & Sciences and School of Engineering, led by Professor of Biology Barry Trimmer and Professor of Biomedical Engineering David Kaplan.The robot design is inspired by the team's findings on both the remarkable neuromechanical system of the Manduca sexta caterpillar and the extraordinary material properties of biopolymers.
This softbot will be on display in the MoMA exhibition Design and the Elastic Mind (24 February to 12 May 2008) will showcase some 200 examples of "disruptive innovation" created by scientists, researchers and designers from around the world, such as the Surveillance fly introduced here.
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