The flexibility of the ever-tapering tentacles on an octopus, combined with grippers, inspired a robotic grabbing tool. (Pseudopanax via Wikimedia Commons) When robots lend humans a hand on the ...

Part of the versatility of the human hand’s ability to pick up almost anything comes from being able to apply a gentle touch for frail or oddly-shaped objects. That’s something robots struggle with, ...

Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto. Once ...

The gripper designed by engineers from Harvard side-steps the challenge of recreating the human hand by throwing a bunch of tentacles at the problem The gripper designed by engineers from Harvard side ...

Robotic hand and claw-like grippers haven’t been able to achieve anything close to a human-like dexterity, making them a clumsy choice to pick up delicate or oddly shaped objects. Now, researchers at ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Harvard researchers, presumably to get into the Halloween spirit ...

A new underwater robot designed with a soft, tentacle-like arm could change the way offshore infrastructure is inspected and maintained. The 3.3-foot-long (one meter) robot was developed by the UK’s ...

If you’ve ever played the claw game, you probably never thought about the scientific applications of that arcade game designed to take your money. But engineers at Harvard University must have. A team ...

AMES, Iowa – The tiny tube circled an ant’s thorax, gently trapping the insect and demonstrating the utility of a microrobotic tentacle developed by Iowa State University engineers. “Most robots use ...