Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins01:32

Microtubule Associated Motor Proteins

Eukaryotic cells have different motor proteins for transporting various cargo within the cell. These motor proteins differ based on the filament they associate with, the direction they move within the cell, and the type of cargo they transport. Motor proteins that associate with microtubules are known as microtubule-associated motor proteins. There are two families of microtubule-associated motor proteins —Kinesins and Dyneins. Both these proteins assist in the transport of cellular cargos...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Kinked Air Channel Enables Retraction of Small-Scale Soft Everting Robots.

IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics. IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics·2026
Same authorSame journal

Tip-Growing Robots: Design, Theory, Application.

IEEE transactions on robotics : a publication of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society·2026
Same author

Haptic Virtual Fixtures for Telemanipulation Using Control Barrier Functions.

IEEE transactions on haptics·2026
Same author

LCE-integrated soft skin for millimeter-scale steerable soft everting robots.

Science advances·2025
Same author

A soft robotic device for rapid and self-guided intubation.

Science translational medicine·2025
Same author

Serially-Connected Soft Continuum Robots for Endovascular Emergencies.

IEEE transactions on medical robotics and bionics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery
11:06

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Published on: November 14, 2015

8.9K

Material Scrunching Enables Working Channels in Miniaturized Vine-Inspired Robots.

Cédric Girerd1,2, Anna Alvarez3, Elliot W Hawkes3

  • 1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 USA.

IEEE Transactions on Robotics : a Publication of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society
|May 27, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed miniaturized vine robots with internal working channels. Storing scrunched material at the tip overcomes friction, enabling continuous access for tools and sensors in minimally invasive surgery applications.

Keywords:
Bio-inspired robotsRobot designSoft robots

More Related Videos

Rod-based Fabrication of Customizable Soft Robotic Pneumatic Gripper Devices for Delicate Tissue Manipulation
07:49

Rod-based Fabrication of Customizable Soft Robotic Pneumatic Gripper Devices for Delicate Tissue Manipulation

Published on: August 2, 2016

8.8K
Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes
08:24

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Published on: February 28, 2020

8.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery
11:06

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Published on: November 14, 2015

8.9K
Rod-based Fabrication of Customizable Soft Robotic Pneumatic Gripper Devices for Delicate Tissue Manipulation
07:49

Rod-based Fabrication of Customizable Soft Robotic Pneumatic Gripper Devices for Delicate Tissue Manipulation

Published on: August 2, 2016

8.8K
Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes
08:24

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Published on: February 28, 2020

8.8K

Area of Science:

  • Robotics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Tip-extending or "vine" robots are soft robots that grow by extending from their tip.
  • A critical feature for vine robots is a working channel for tools, sensors, or fluids.
  • Miniaturizing vine robots (<1 cm diameter) with continuous working channels remains a challenge due to increased internal friction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the growth models of existing vine robots.
  • To identify the challenges hindering the development of miniaturized vine robots with working channels.
  • To propose a novel method for enabling continuous working channels in small-diameter vine robots.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of vine robot growth models to understand pressure requirements.
  • Development of a concept involving storing scrunched material at the robot's tip.
  • Prototyping and experimental validation of the proposed concept.

Main Results:

  • The working channel significantly increases the required pressure for vine robot growth at small scales due to internal friction.
  • Storing scrunched material at the tip effectively circumvents frictional forces.
  • Successful demonstration of miniaturized vine robot prototypes with working channels down to 2.3 mm in diameter.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed method enables the creation of miniaturized vine robots with functional working channels.
  • This advancement significantly enhances the practicality and potential applications of vine robots.
  • The technology holds promise for applications like minimally invasive surgery.