Virginia Tech physicists discovered a mechanism to speed up hydrogels' expansion and contraction, potentially improving soft robots' speed and dexterity.

Virginia Tech physicists discovered a microscopic phenomenon that could enhance soft devices like agile robots or drug delivery capsules. Their study, published in Physical Review Letters, suggests a new physical mechanism to speed up hydrogels' expansion and contraction. This development may allow hydrogels to replace rubber-based materials in soft robots, improving their speed and dexterity close to human hands.