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Vine-Inspired Robotic Gripper Gently Lifts Heavy and Fragile Objects

Engineers at MIT and Stanford have created a vine‑inspired robotic gripper that inflates thin pneumatic tubes to grow, wrap around, and lift objects. The system can transition from an open‑loop growth phase to a closed‑loop sling, enabling it to retrieve the object by retracting the vines. Demonstrations include lifting a watermelon, a glass vase, and even a human lying in bed. Researchers see the technology scaling to elder‑care patient transfers and heavy‑cargo handling in warehouses and ports.