What do robots and octopuses have in common?
The answer is a lot, if Harvard scientists have their way.
They have taken inspiration from under the sea and designed a robotic arm based on octopus tentacles - and with good reason.
Octopus-inspired robot can grab almost any object
Two-thirds of an octopus's neurons are in its arms, meaning each arm literally has a mind of its own.
Octopus arms can untie knots, open childproof bottles, and wrap around prey of any shape or size.
The hundreds of suckers that cover their arms can form strong seals even on rough surfaces underwater.
Researchers at the Harvard John A.
Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Beihang University have developed an octopus-inspired soft robotic arm that can grip, move, and manipulate a wide range of objects.
Its flexible, tapered design, complete with suction cups, gives the gripper a firm grasp on objects of all shapes, sizes and textures - from eggs and iPhones to large exercise balls.