VIDEO: Soft robotics and NASA: The flexible future

05/04/2016 |

Soft robotics is an emerging field that builds motorized and electrical devices using only soft and flexible materials. At a Purdue lab called the Faboratory, Rebecca Kramer and her students build these components from scratch.

Why is NASA interested? In this video, Rebecca explains that soft robotics are more versatile, more durable in difficult conditions, and more lightweight — vital aspects in future space missions.

Rebecca Kramer, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University, has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Discovery News, and many other media outlets. Her work at the Faboratory is supported by NASA, the National Science Foundation, DARPA, the U.S. Air Force and Intel.