Picture a robot. In your mind’s eye, do you see a shiny protocol droid from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away? Perhaps a large, moving steel arm from our industrial present? Or even an ambassador from the future, such as the mighty THOR (tactical hazardous operations robot), UCLA’s own walking, talking, soccer-kicking bot from the lab of engineering professor Dennis Hong?
Research by a quintet of Hong’s faculty colleagues at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering might just expand your thinking. These researchers are doing the early work to realize robots with an entirely different feel, literally — softer, more pliable and better suited for engaging with people.
“We build machines based on the materials we have, and steel and rubber have actually worked very well,” says Qibing Pei, professor of materials science and engineering. “However, we’re also limited…
