Researchers develop armadillo-inspired protective shell module for soft robotics

NC State researchers developed the Morpho-Interlocking Protective Module, an armadillo-inspired shell for soft robots and flexible electronics.

The multilayer device senses strain and self-heats to curl into a locked, rigid armor only when protection is needed.

Its 3D-printed scales, folded paper structures, and sensor-actuator layer let designers tune stiffness on demand.

Adding more inner scales increases the level of protection, making the approach more adaptable for fragile medical and rescue devices.