Inchworm-inspired soft robot

Researchers at the University of Gothenburg developed an inchworm-inspired soft robot as part of an ESA Discovery activity exploring new approaches to soft robot locomotion for planetary exploration. The robot uses a rolled dielectric elastomer actuator – a type of artificial muscle – to mimic the inchworm's contracting and extending motion, and is designed to be lightweight, power-efficient and resilient enough to operate in the harsh conditions of space.