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Scientists Discover Way to Send Information into Black Holes Without Using Energy

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These Soft Robotic Fingers Can Work Over a Million Times, Then Safely Decompose in Nature

Soft robots are one of the most exciting technologies of the future. Unlike traditional rigid robots made from metal and hard plastic, soft robots are flexible and gentle. They can bend, stretch, and move more like living organisms. Because of this, they are useful in many fields such as medicine, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and disaster rescue.

However, there is an important question scientists are beginning to ask: what happens to these robots after they are used?

As robots become more common in everyday life, millions of them could eventually become waste. If they are made from conventional electronic materials and plastics, they could harm the environment. To solve this problem, researchers are now trying to build robots that can safely return to nature after use.

A research team from Seoul National University, led by scientist Kyung-Sub Kim, has taken a major step in this direction. They have developed a new type of compostable soft robot that combines advanced electronics with biodegradable materials. Their work shows that robots can be both high-performance and environmentally friendly at the same time.

The Environmental Challenge of Soft Robotics

Soft robots are designed to work in delicate environments. For example, they can handle fragile fruits in agriculture, assist surgeons during operations, or explore sensitive ecosystems such as forests and oceans.

But most existing soft robots are made from materials that do not break down naturally. Many contain silicone, synthetic elastomers, metals, and electronic circuits that can remain in the environment for decades.

If soft robots are widely used in the future, this could create a new kind of electronic waste. Scientists therefore want to design robots that behave more like natural organisms — performing useful tasks and then degrading harmlessly when their job is done.

Creating such robots is extremely difficult. Researchers face several major challenges:

  • Sustainable soft actuators often lack durability and reliability

  • Biodegradable electronics are hard to integrate with multiple functions

  • The by-products of degrading materials may harm ecosystems

Because of these obstacles, building a robot that is both powerful and environmentally safe has remained a major challenge.

A New Approach to Compostable Robotics

The team at Seoul National University developed a framework that combines advanced electronics with biodegradable materials in a carefully engineered system.

Their robot is built using three main components:

1. Biodegradable Elastomer Structure

The body of the robot is made from polyglycerol sebacate, a soft elastomer that is both flexible and biodegradable.

This material behaves similarly to soft biological tissue. It can bend and stretch repeatedly without breaking, making it ideal for soft robotic actuators. At the same time, it slowly breaks down in natural environments.

2. Polyanhydride-Based Adhesive

To hold the robot components together, the researchers used a polyanhydride adhesive.

This adhesive is strong enough to maintain the structure of the robot during operation but can also degrade naturally during composting. It helps ensure that the robot does not leave behind harmful residues.

3. Transient Inorganic Electronics

One of the most impressive parts of this research is the use of transient inorganic electronics.

Unlike traditional electronics designed to last forever, transient electronics are designed to dissolve or degrade after use.

The team incorporated materials such as:

  • Silicon (Si)

  • Molybdenum (Mo)

  • Magnesium (Mg)

These materials can slowly break down into forms that are compatible with natural ecosystems.

High Performance Despite Being Biodegradable

A common concern with biodegradable technology is that it might not be strong or durable enough for real-world use. Surprisingly, this new soft robot performs extremely well.

The researchers created soft electronic fingers capable of performing complex movements and sensing tasks.

These robotic fingers demonstrated several impressive features:

  • They survived more than 1,000,000 actuation cycles

  • They contained 21 high-density electronic components

  • They could perform multiple sensing functions

This means the robot can operate reliably for long periods while still being environmentally friendly.

Such durability is remarkable for a system designed to eventually degrade.

Robots That Can Feel and Interact With Their Environment

The robot is not just mechanically flexible — it is also electronically intelligent.

The embedded electronics allow the robotic fingers to perform two types of sensing:

Proprioceptive Sensing

This refers to the robot’s ability to sense its own movements and position.

Just like humans can feel where their arms and fingers are, the robot can monitor its bending, stretching, and motion.

Exteroceptive Sensing

This allows the robot to detect external conditions such as pressure, touch, or environmental changes.

With these sensing capabilities, the robot can interact with objects and surroundings more effectively.

Such multifunctionality is essential for robots used in fields like precision agriculture, medical procedures, or environmental monitoring.

Testing Environmental Safety

Designing biodegradable robots is not enough. Scientists must also prove that the materials are safe for ecosystems after degradation.

To test this, the researchers performed an interesting experiment.

They composted the robot materials — including both polymers and electronic components — and then used the resulting compost as soil for growing plants.

They planted oat seeds in this soil and monitored their growth.

The results were encouraging.

The oats showed high germination and survival rates, indicating that the compost created from the robot materials did not harm plant life.

This suggests that the materials used in the robot are eco-compatible and can safely return to the natural environment.

Applications of Compostable Soft Robots

This technology could transform many industries where robots interact with nature or delicate environments.

Medicine

Soft robots could assist surgeons in minimally invasive procedures and then safely degrade after use, reducing medical waste.

Agriculture

Robots could help monitor crops, pick fruits, or distribute fertilizers without leaving plastic or electronic waste in fields.

Environmental Exploration

Researchers could deploy robots to study forests, oceans, or wildlife habitats without worrying about long-term pollution.

Disaster Response

Temporary robots used for rescue operations could perform tasks in hazardous environments and later break down naturally.

Bridging Sustainability and Robotics

For many years, robotics development focused mainly on performance — speed, power, and intelligence. Environmental sustainability was rarely a priority.

This research shows that it is possible to design robots that are both high-performance and environmentally responsible.

By combining:

  • biodegradable elastomers

  • transient electronics

  • eco-compatible materials

the researchers have created a system that works effectively and then safely returns to nature.

This approach could become a model for future robotics design.

The Future of Eco-Friendly Robotics

The development of compostable soft robots represents an important step toward sustainable technology.

As robotics becomes more integrated into everyday life, the ability to design machines that do not harm the planet will become increasingly important.

While more research is still needed to improve scalability, cost, and long-term environmental testing, the work by the Seoul National University team demonstrates that a new generation of eco-conscious robots is possible.

In the future, robots may behave much more like living organisms — performing their tasks, completing their life cycle, and finally returning safely to the earth.

Such innovations bring us closer to a world where advanced technology and nature can exist in true harmony.

Reference: Kim, KS., Shim, JS., Kim, SW. et al. Biodegradable yet hyperdurable robotic fingers for zero-waste soft electronics. Nat Sustain (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-026-01780-4

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