Few researchers have used soft plastic in robotics before, partly because it can be difficult to shape small, precise parts out of such materials.

之前很少有研究者在机器人制造中用到软塑料，部分的原因是很难由这类材质造型出细小而精确的部件。

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Dennis Hong, a robotics engineer at Virginia Tech, said research into "soft robotics" was part of a wider trend towards designing more flexible and innovative machines, such as his own "Whole Skin Locomotion" (WSL) robotic mechanism.

CNN: Robotics discovers its soft side

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.

CNN: Robotics discovers its soft side