Shayla Poling · 17 June 2019

The path to future robotics is paved with materials

There has been a notable trend in storytelling toward the redemption of beings that were once considered purely evil. In fantasy, for example, dragons have evolved from simple, violent animals into noble beasts, often of near- or above-human intellect, who act as helpers of humanity or as heroes in their own right. In science fiction, we’ve seen a similar shift in the purpose and personality of robotic characters. In her article in the April 2019 issue of MRS Bulletin, Hortense Le Ferrand, recipient of the 2018 MRS Bulletin Postdoctoral Publication Prize, connects the emergence of benevolent robots to “the use of soft materials, characterized by conformability, colors, and constant adaptation to the environment.”