Elephant-inspired robots could join together to tackle difficult jobs

Engineers have created flexible robots inspired by elephant trunks that can bend, grip objects, and connect with one another. The machines, which could eventually help with jobs that are difficult for conventional rigid robots, were designed by a team at Colorado State University. The robots' bodies are made of a soft material that allows them to mimic the movements of an elephant's trunk, making them suitable for tasks such as exploring challenging terrain and handling objects of different shapes.