Meet the Soft Robots Doing the Hard Jobs of the Future

Published: Aug. 18, 2023, 10 a.m.

When you think of a robot, what comes to mind? A big metal arm in a car factory? A shiny android like C3PO from \u201cStar Wars\u201d? What about a robot that\u2019s soft, floppy and looks a little more like the hot dog fingers from \u201cEverything Everywhere, All at Once\u201d? Soft robots are engineered for more delicate tasks that used to require a human touch \u2013 like handling food or conducting tests inside our bodies. But for now, they\u2019re isolated to specific fields, like manufacturing and medicine, and haven\u2019t really made their way into the daily lives of most people. WSJ\u2019s Alex Ossola looks into what it will take to bring soft robots out of the factory and hospital and into our homes.\xa0\n\n\n\nFurther reading:\xa0\n\nRobots Are Learning to Handle With Care\xa0\xa0\n\nRobots Are Looking to Bring a Human Touch to Warehouses\xa0\n\nWhat Picking Up an Apple Tells You About the Future of Robotics\xa0\xa0\n\nFirst Autonomous, Entirely Soft Robot Developed\xa0\n\nAmid the Labor Shortage, Robots Step in to Make the French Fries\xa0\n\nThe Quest for a Robot With a Sense of Touch\xa0\n\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices