19/07/2026
Vine robots are soft, plant-inspired robots that navigate by "growing" from their tip through pressure-driven eversion. Powered by compressed air or fluids, they can extend up to 100 times their original length, twisting through tight crevices and around obstacles without causing friction on their surroundings.
Pioneered largely by researchers at Stanford University and UC Santa Barbara, this technology is transforming search and rescue operations, medicine, and industrial inspection.
How They WorkThe robot’s body is made of long, folded, airtight tubing (like flexible ripstop nylon or plastic) that is stored on a motorized spool. As internal pressure is applied, the material turns inside out and extends forward, meaning the body does not rub against the environment. To steer, operators or onboard AI use actuators (like series pouch motors) along the body to shorten one side, forcing the tube to bend.
Search and Rescue: By sneaking through rubble, vine robots help rescuers probe for survivors in collapsed buildings and map safe extraction routes.
Medicine: Their soft, adaptable nature makes them highly useful in minimally invasive surgery, endoscopy, and medical intubation.
Industrial Maintenance: They can snake through complicated piping and wiring networks to inspect equipment or install cables in tight ceilings.
Advanced Grippers: Tendril-like vine robots are used to wrap around and gently lift heavy or highly fragile objects.
- Reuters, CNN, Stanford Robotics Center & KAIST
