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Vine Robot Expands by Everting its Own Skin from the Tip

Priyadharshini S October 18, 2025 | 1:40 PM Technology

Researchers have developed miniature, steerable vine-like robots capable of navigating complex pathways in delicate environments—ideal for applications such as surgical procedures and engine inspections.

Figure 1. Vine-Inspired Robot Grows by Turning Its Skin Inside Out.

Just 3–7 mm in diameter and 25 cm long, these soft robots can maneuver through models of human arteries and jet engine interiors. Figure 1 shows Vine-Inspired Robot Grows by Turning Its Skin Inside Out.

Unlike existing vine robots—typically much larger and steered using compressed air, motors, or tendons—this new design achieves precise control at small scales. The researchers accomplished this by integrating a thin layer of liquid crystal elastomer into the robot’s soft skin.

When heated by flexible micro-heaters, these elastomer “actuators” contract, allowing the robot to steer and grow by everting its own skin from the tip.

Experiments showed that the robots could execute multiple turns exceeding 100°, guided by temperature, pressure, or a combination of the two.

“Our work marks a step forward in developing small, steerable, soft vine robots designed for use in delicate and confined environments,” says corresponding author Tania K. Morimoto, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California San Diego.

A New Kind of Growing Robot

Inspired by climbing plants, researchers have designed a vine-like robot that grows not by pushing from the base, but by everting its own skin from the tip—a process similar to turning a sock inside out. This unique form of movement allows the robot to extend its body smoothly without dragging or disturbing its surroundings.

Miniature Design for Delicate Tasks

The new vine robots are incredibly small—just 3–7 mm wide and 25 cm long—allowing them to navigate tight and sensitive spaces such as human arteries or engine interiors. Their flexibility makes them ideal for applications where precision and minimal disruption are critical.

Smart Steering Through Material Innovation

To control their growth and direction, researchers embedded liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) layers into the robot’s soft skin. These materials act like muscles: when heated by flexible micro-heaters, they contract, bending the robot toward a chosen direction and enabling steering at the tip as it grows.

Controlled by Heat and Pressure

In experiments, the robots successfully made multiple turns exceeding 100°, guided by temperature changes, pressure, or both. This combination of control methods allows precise movement even in complex, branching environments—something traditional rigid or tendon-driven systems struggle with at small scales.

Toward Future Soft Robotics Applications

According to the research team at the University of California San Diego, this work represents a major step toward miniaturized, steerable soft robots capable of functioning in delicate and constrained environments. Beyond vine robots, the same soft-skin technology could be adapted for wearable haptic devices, soft grippers, and locomotive soft robots in the future.

Source: COSMOS

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), Vine Robot Expands by Everting its Own Skin from the Tip, AnaTechMaz, pp.286

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