The technique allows the machine to be made of soft materials so it can squeeze through tight spaces and mould its shape to rough terrain.

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The extensive use of metallic finishes and soft touch materials throughout reinforces the premium quality of the environment.

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Last month DARPA, the U.S. Defense Department's research agency, invited proposals from robotics experts to build a "chemical robot" made from soft, flexible materials and capable of squeezing through gaps smaller than its regular dimensions.

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Everyone from Intel to National Semiconductor to Applied Materials has announced weaker earnings, soft sales and layoffs.

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When they are very, very small, materials, such as copper, that are soft can become hard.

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Separately, Britvic, Britain's second-biggest soft drinks maker after Coca Cola, warned of tough trading conditions in the soft drinks market, largely because of the rising cost of raw materials.

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The material is an organic photovoltaic semiconductor (called rr-P3HT) which, unlike the metal or silicon-based materials used until now for such biotechnological interfaces, is soft, light, flexible and highly biocompatible and naturally sensitive to visible light.

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Translated to interiors, this means extensive use of quirky antiques like masks and vases, set against what Mr. Pellizzoni calls "soft furniture" mesh chandeliers and curvy seating fixtures in luxurious materials like leather and suede, against a backdrop of warm colors such as beiges and browns.

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Profits were offset by monetary declines in Venezuela and soft demand in North American markets, in addition to higher input costs for materials.

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