Harvard researchers build squishy robots with camouflage abilities

Researchers have built robots that imitate the behavior of soft-bodied creatures like starfish and squid, and can blend in or stand out in their environment, the New York Times reports.

The Harvard University research team published its work in the current issue of the journal Science. The soft robots are made of a silicone-based polymer called polydimethylsiloxane. They were built with channels that can be pumped with heated or cooled liquids so that they can be camouflaged in infrared light, or be made to look more prominent.

This allows them to serve multiple functions. For instance, they can perform as visual markers for search missions or carry out reconnaissance tasks surreptitiously.

A new generation of pliable robots may be changing the face of military robotics. Another group of scientists, supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is creating a pliable and autonomous robot that squeezes into corners and crawls over bumpy terrain like an earthworm.