The new design could be adapted to sort warehouse products, unload heavy cargo, or help lift patients out of bed.

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MIT Technology Review

Engineers at MIT and Stanford have developed a vine-inspired robotic gripper that uses inflatable, tube-like appendages to snake around and lift objects—including people. The system combines open-loop growth (allowing vines to wrap around or burrow under objects) with closed-loop retraction (clamping and winding back to create a sling-like lift). Potential applications include eldercare patient transfers, agricultural harvesting, warehouse automation, and heavy cargo handling. A smaller version has already been tested on a commercial robotic arm, successfully lifting fragile and heavy objects like glass vases and kettlebells.

Vine-inspired robot fingers can reach out and grab someone