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Revolutionary 3D Printing Creates Magnetic Muscles for Soft Robots

10/21/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers at North Carolina State University developed a 3D printing technique to create ultra-thin magnetic muscles for origami-inspired soft robots.
The films co-extrude rubber polymers with ferromagnetic particles, enabling movement under magnetic fields.
This approach increases soft-robot flexibility and enables a non-invasive drug-delivery system for ulcers that unfolds at the target site and releases medication.
A crawling robot demonstrated the technology by traversing obstacles.

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Story summary

Researchers at North Carolina State University developed a 3D printing technique to create ultra-thin magnetic muscles for origami-inspired soft robots.
The films co-extrude rubber polymers with ferromagnetic particles, enabling movement under magnetic fields.
This approach increases soft-robot flexibility and enables a non-invasive drug-delivery system for ulcers that unfolds at the target site and releases medication.
A crawling robot demonstrated the technology by traversing obstacles.