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Soft Robot Tentacle Can Lasso an Ant Without Harming It

Posted by Soulskill on from the perfect-for-your-micro-rodeo dept.

jan_jes writes: A soft robot tentacle, developed by a team from Iowa State University, can curl itself into a circle with a radius of just 200 micrometers. It was capable of capturing an ant without harming it, and the tentacle was also able to grasp the egg of a fish. Such miniature soft robots could be useful for microsurgery. The lassoing motion and low force exerted by the tentacle could be an advantage in endovascular operations, for example, where the target for surgery is reached through blood vessels. They describe their findings in Scientific Reports.

22 of 49 comments (clear)

  1. Internet rule 34 by DougOtto · · Score: 4, Funny

    So how long before it shows up on a porn site?

    --
    Solving Unix problems since 1989...
    1. Re:Internet rule 34 by Atrox666 · · Score: 2

      Japanese porn will enter a new golden age and the eels can be saved for sushi.

    2. Re:Internet rule 34 by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

      >> ...how long before it shows up on a porn site?

      A corollary of Rule 34 could be that any site that allows user content could be a porn site. See also "Brazzers meme"...

    3. Re:Internet rule 34 by antiperimetaparalogo · · Score: 1

      So how long before it shows up on a porn site?

      Just read some /. comments...and...!

      --
      Antisthenes: "Wisdom begins by examining the words/names." - excuse my English, i am (slightly...) better with my Greek!
    4. Re:Internet rule 34 by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      You could always drink it...

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    5. Re:Internet rule 34 by ITRambo · · Score: 1

      Antman porn using menacing micro-robot tentacles might make a good movie.

  2. News... by LewekLeonek · · Score: 1

    Now! That's the news I've been waiting for today.

  3. Microsurgery... by FizzyP · · Score: 1

    Microsurgery. Suuuure... that's why they were researching "soft tentacle" technology. I can't think of any other use.

    1. Re:Microsurgery... by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Soft tentacle robots have been around for decades, it's the *micro* part that's new. I don't think getting below the centimetre scale would be an advantage in the applications you're obviously not considering.

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      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  4. I, for one... by jeffb+(2.718) · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...DO NOT welcome our new, tentacular, inner-body-exploring robotic overlords. Ick.

    But if they turn out to be the effective solution for a life-threatening health condition, I'll find a way to cope.

    1. Re:I, for one... by deadweight · · Score: 1

      Damn you meme ruining poster. I was going to go for "I for one ...."

  5. Easier than in RDR by rodrigoandrade · · Score: 1

    I guess it's easier than lassoing wild horses in Red Dead Redemption. I still haven't managed to catch the American Standardbread or the white one with black face.

    1. Re:Easier than in RDR by rogoshen1 · · Score: 1

      fucking racist video game horses. My god, this day in age we still have to deal with Minstrel Shows?

    2. Re:Easier than in RDR by rogoshen1 · · Score: 1

      well if they were truly progressive, inclusive, and wanted to foster a sense of diversity it would have been an arabian or some other under-represented breed of horse.

  6. lotta strange science lately. by nimbius · · Score: 4, Funny

    University of Illinois: guys we just invented a process to unscramble an egg. Fire up that nobel prize and tell ken to keep his quiches out of the breakroom microwave..
    Iowa State University: not so fast losers, we just invented an ant catching robot tentacle.
    NIST so...uh...hows that grant money working out...did you guys hear about that new horizons probe? heck of a lot of science there...
    Iowa State University Illinois just figured out how to ruin breakfast for the tenured faculty and I invented ant hentai

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
  7. Re:Do Robotic Tentacles Need Passports? Should the by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    >> Do Robotic Tentacles Need Passports?

    Wasn't that covered in Maniac Mansion way back in the 1980s?
    http://www.selfsimilar.org/ima...

  8. what about flies? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Ya but can it tie a fishing line to a fly?

  9. Re:Ant tentacle porn? by Thud457 · · Score: 1
    Ooooohhhhhh, missed it by >< that much!

    What is this? Tentacle porn for ants?

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    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  10. Really? Big deal... by DutchSter · · Score: 2

    Not that impressive...I can stomp on an ant with all of my fat ass might and the thing gets up, slightly stunned, and continues on its way.

  11. OK by koan · · Score: 1

    *obligatory tentacle sex joke here*

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  12. Re:Ant tentacle porn? by cyberchondriac · · Score: 1

    I bet there's a deleted scene in the upcoming Antman movie you might want to see..

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  13. At last! by ljw1004 · · Score: 1

    At last! I've been looking for a use for my soft robot tentacle!

    -- or --

    At last! I've been looking for a way to lasso ants without harming them!