4TU researchers are working hard on a coating that can change shape. This technology makes all kinds of things possible, from Mars rovers and solar panels that can autonomously shake off sand, to Braille on your mobile phone, surgical instruments that provide feedback to the doctor, or VR gloves that help you to throw a ball really well.
The possibilities of this technology are endless. For example you can also make robots that can feel and can get goose bumps, enabling them to communicate with each other in new ways. This could also be useful in all kinds of training situations where touch plays a role, such as physiotherapy or first-aid courses.
Podcast on BNR nieuwsradio
In this podcast from BNR you can hear researcher Danqing Liu from Eindhoven University of Technology (in both dutch and English). Her research is a part of the 4TU.High-tech Materials Centre and the universities of Delft and Wageningen are also collaborating in the project. You can read more about Liu's work and that of other researchers in this field in the recently published 4TU book Stretching the boundaries of materials.
Source: BNR Nieuwsradio
Photo: Liquid crystals (TU Eindhoven)