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Engineers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University have created a robotic gripper that can gently pick up various heavy and fragile objects.
The gripper’s vine-like tubes snake around an object, such as a glass vase or a watermelon, and lift it in a grasp resembling a sling.
The tubes inflate from a pressurized box with an air pump. Once extended, the tubes twist and coil around the object before returning to the box, where they are automatically clamped in place. Then, the tubes mechanically wind back up, lifting the object.
When extended, the tubes can also squeeze through tight spaces and push through obstacles to reach the desired object.
The researchers say the design could be adapted for tasks such as unloading heavy cargo, sorting warehouse products or assisting patients in health care. The team is now exploring the use of the gripper to assist with lifting a person out of bed, thereby eliminating the need for a caretaker to move the patient physically.
This research was published in Science Advances in December 2025.