Squidgy robots

"Soft robotics can make materials and structures that behave in a really sophisticated way in contrast to conventional robotics" said Prof Rossiter. "We have evolved organisms that are so sophisticated in their movement in their sensing and in control, like the octopus, they can bend and twist can squeeze into small spaces. We can take some of these capabilities and put them into artificial muscles, put them onto clothing."

At the science festival, Prof Rossiter's team demonstrated the artificial muscles. To my eye, they look like strings of cocktail sausages made from clear plastic (that feels like carrier bag material) and can be inflated with air. Once inflated, the whole structure contracts and shortens like muscle does, and the cocktail sausage shapes becomes round like baubles. There is considerable power generated by the artificial muscle and I watched as the University of Bristol researcher demonstrated that this can raise a robotic leg from a seated to a standing position.

The technology might offer the potential of prolonged independent living, but a potential downside might be discouraging a person from using their own muscles, and then becoming weaker. But as a rehabilitation device, it may be doing the opposite, Rossiter explains: "So that people who are weaker are becoming stronger, working with the device/trousers - they are exercise trousers making their legs stronger, their knees stronger."
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45501069