Soft robot keeps cool by replicating sweating

This form of thermal management is a basic building block for enabling untethered, high-powered robots to operate for long periods of time without overheating, according to Rob Shepherd, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Cornell University, who led the project. The team's paper is published in Science Robotics.

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According to Shepherd, a hurdle for making enduring, adaptable and agile robots is managing their internal temperature. If the high-torque density motors and exothermic engines that power a robot overheat, the robot will cease to operate.

Soft robots have the advantage of flexibility, but the synthetic materials they are made of retain heat. Internal cooling technology, such as a fan, would take up space inside the robot and add weight.