Vacuum-laser manufacturing significantly reduces cost/ time required to produce soft robots; also lowers financial/ technical entry barriers

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1118848

"soft robotic actuators produced for <$0.10 (USD)/ unit, in <10 minutes using common laboratory/ desktop equipment such as standard: laser cutter, vacuum sealer with plastic pouches... removing air between layers before laser processing enables sealing/ shaping inflatable structures in single step... resulting: actuators withstand up to 100K cycles, soft grippers lift 25X own weight, crawling/ swimming robots probrammably bending/ shaping... medical devices, wearables, educational projects"

Related:

Soft fibers that move with electricity
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1119408

4D printing technology uses waste sulfur to enable self-actuating soft robots
https://techxplore.com/news/2026-03-4d-technology-sulfur-enable-actuating.html