Chinese researchers develop pig gelatin, origami-inspired robots

In China, researchers at Westlake University have made a “soft robot” by combining pig gelatin and cellulose derived from cotton.

Inspired by Kresling origami, the 240-mm robotic arm features a flexible, modular design made of four connected segments, each capable of bending and twisting in various directions. Movement is controlled by three internal threads adjusted by external motors. The robot also includes a built-in sensing mechanism.

The team told Boy Genius Report the use of pig gelatin and cellulose means the robot decomposes when no longer usable, offering a potential solution to growing robotic waste.

Their findings were published recently in Science Advances.