Researchers at the College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, have created an untethered soft robot that embodies deformation-resilient flexible batteries enabled by  the same magnetic fields that drive its movement. The team developed flexible batteries that endure constant bending and perform better under magnetic fields, improving capacity retention from 31% to 57% after 200 cycles. Integrated with sensors and circuits in a manta-ray-shaped design, the soft robot can swim freely, detect temperature changes, avoid obstacles and correct its path in real time, advancing embodied intelligence for soft robotics in confined, fragile and dynamic environments.

A new study published in Translational Exercise Biomedicine (ISSN: 2942-6812), an official partner journal of International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), reveals that a progressive, multi-component exercise program, enhanced by wearable sensor technology, can significantly counteract the debilitating effects of frailty in older adults. The 12-week intervention led to remarkable improvements not only in physical strength and balance, but also in cognitive abilities and overall quality of life, presenting an effective and practical strategy for community health management in an aging global population.

Soft robots offer incredible potential in fields from medicine to exploration, but their fluid-driven actuators are often tethered to bulky, rigid pumps. Researchers from Zhejiang University have developed a new-type, soft fiber pump inspired by the body's lymphatic system. This pump is not only highly flexible and easy to manufacture but can also be powered by a built-in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), harvesting energy from motion to create untethered, self-sufficient soft robotic systems.