一根看似普通的充气软管缓缓探入人体与床垫间的缝隙，几秒钟后从另一侧钻出，在空中完成一次优雅的自锁 扣合 ， 一张由机器人编织的柔性担架就此成型，将一位 身高 170 cm 、体重 74 公斤的成年人平稳托起。 最近，来自麻省理工学院和斯坦福大学的工程师团队在 权威期刊 《 Science Advance 》展示了一项 机器人 突破性技术： " 环闭合 抓取 "。 这项技术让机器人抓手获得了 "拓扑变形"的超能力，能在需要时从灵活探索的章鱼触手模式，一键切换为稳 固承重的起重吊带模式 ，成功解决了困扰机器人领域多年的 力量 与 轻柔灵活 不可兼得 " 的 难题 。 ▍ 两难困境：机器人抓取的 "强度 + 轻柔 "难以权衡 现实生活中 ，让一个机器人去完成两项任务：一是从一堆鸡蛋中稳稳拿起一枚，二是从地上提起一桶 20 升 的矿泉水。 对于传统机器人抓手而言，这几乎是道无解题。要轻柔拿鸡蛋，抓手必须足够软；要提起重物，抓手又必须足 够硬。刚性与柔顺 ， 在单一形态的机械设计中被锁死在跷跷板的两端。 这正是当前机器人抓取技术的核心困境。研究人员将抓取过程拆解为两个阶段： 建立 抓取和 保持抓取。 第一阶段如同侦探工 ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the development and optimization of "vine robots," inspired by the growth and flexibility of vine plants, which can navigate through challenging environments and perform tasks in areas inaccessible to traditional robots [1][3]. Group 1: Key Features and Applications - Vine robots can explore life signs in rubble, search for leaks in narrow pipes, and access unknown environments, successfully completing tasks in urban rescue training sites, archaeological sites, and salamander cave habitats [3]. - The flexibility of vine robots allows them to operate in complex environments, but their performance is limited by factors such as top load, design parameters, and environmental adaptability [5][6]. Group 2: Manipulability Challenges - The manipulability of vine robots is influenced by three main factors: the impact of top load, the ambiguity of design and control parameters, and poor environmental adaptability [6]. - A research team from the University of Notre Dame and MIT Lincoln Laboratory focused on optimizing the manipulability of vine robots by analyzing the effects of top load, chamber pressure, length, diameter, and actuator design through systematic experiments [8]. Group 3: Experimental Findings - Experiments revealed that increasing top load significantly reduces the robot's bending ability, especially beyond 100 grams, which limits its operational range [13]. - Chamber pressure experiments showed that the feature length initially increases with pressure, peaking at 5.52 kPa, before decreasing due to excessive rigidity [14]. - Length experiments indicated that longer bodies enhance horizontal movement but reduce vertical movement, necessitating a balance between flexibility and structural stability [16]. - Diameter experiments demonstrated that while diameter affects collapse resistance, it has limited impact on manipulability once structural integrity is ensured [17]. Group 4: Design and Control Guidelines - The research team established design and control guidelines to optimize vine robot performance, emphasizing the need to minimize top load and balance length for flexibility and stability [28]. - Recommendations include using lightweight sensors and modular designs to enhance maneuverability and selecting actuator designs based on required pressure ratios for specific tasks [28][29]. Group 5: Future Directions - Future research will address issues related to non-reset phenomena and explore low-latency materials and proprioceptive sensing technologies to improve precision [33]. - The development of higher pressure-resistant actuator designs aims to synchronize rapid growth and high curvature turning, expanding the application range of vine robots in urban rescue, archaeological exploration, and industrial inspection [33].

Group 1: Unitree H2 Robot Release - Unitree Technology has launched the upgraded humanoid robot Unitree H2, featuring a bionic face, which marks a significant step towards human-like appearance [3] - The H2 weighs 70 kg, nearly 50% heavier than its predecessor H1, which weighed 47 kg, while maintaining the same height of 180 cm [3] - The H2 incorporates a high-degree-of-freedom jointed waist module similar to the G1 series, enhancing its stability and flexibility, as demonstrated in videos showcasing its smooth dance and complex martial arts movements [3] Group 2: Soft Robotics Material Innovation - Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a thin-layer material that transforms conventional soft robots into agile explorers capable of navigating tight spaces [6] - The robots utilize liquid crystal elastomers, which are both strong and flexible, allowing them to fold without increasing volume and to stretch into required shapes when heated [6] - The robots are equipped with numerous actuators that work in coordination to tilt in various directions based on commands [6] Group 3: Micro "DNA Flower" Robots for Drug Delivery - Scientists at the University of North Carolina have created micro soft robots known as "DNA flowers," which can mimic biological adaptive behaviors [9] - These structures are made from a combination of DNA and inorganic materials, allowing them to fold and unfold rapidly while responding to environmental stimuli [9] - The technology utilizes programmable DNA assembly, enabling the creation of complex structures that can change shape reversibly, opening new possibilities in medicine and smart materials [9] Group 4: Joint Investment in Embodied Intelligence Technology - Mingxin Xuteng announced a joint investment with Shanghai Qingbao to establish a new company focused on embodied intelligence technology, with a registered capital of 12 million yuan [12] - Mingxin Xuteng will contribute 7.8 million yuan for a 65% stake, while Shanghai Qingbao will invest 4.2 million yuan in intellectual property for a 35% stake [12] - Qingbao Robotics, founded by a Tsinghua University PhD, specializes in humanoid robot development, covering areas such as cloud-based brains and flexible joint actuators [12] Group 5: Growth of the Robotic Surgery Market - The global robotic surgery market is projected to grow from 11.77 billion USD in 2024 to 46.51 billion USD by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 16.5% from 2025 to 2033 [15] - This growth is driven by advancements in technology, increasing surgical demand, and improvements in medical infrastructure in emerging economies [15] - Approximately 10% of global disease cases require surgical or anesthetic care, with robotic systems providing scalable and precise solutions to meet this growing demand [15]