The new manta-robot has a body made of silicone and flexible wings that move exactly like those of a manta ray. When the body chamber is inflated, air actuates the robot: Its wings flap downward ...

Haitao Qing, Study First Author, and Ph.D. Student, North Carolina State University Controlling the soft robot's vertical movement also required a thorough understanding of manta ray fluid dynamics.

Our new robot is capable of swimming up and down throughout the water column.” The soft robot has fins shaped like those of a manta ray, and is made of a material that is stable when the fins are ...

The record-breaking robot has fins shaped like a manta ray, and is made of a material that is stable when the fins are spread wide. Study corresponding author Dr. Jie Yin, of North Carolina State ...