Controllable Passive Suction Cups With Mechanical Programmability for Soft Robotics (Adv. Funct. Mater. 56/2026)

Advanced Functional Materials, vol. 36

Abstract

Mechanically Programmable Suction Cup The cover illustrates a passive membrane suction cup with multi-loop reinforcing ribs generating stable suction during large-displacement lifting, revealing how the thin membrane governs dynamic deformation and cavity pressure. This lightweight, energy-efficient, mechanically programmable suction cup leverages inherent compliance to switch between attachment and detachment, and between static and sliding friction for advanced robotic manipulation and locomotion. More details can be found in the Research Article by Shuguang Li and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75782).

Authors 4

1. Yiming He

   Tsinghua University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Mechanical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China

2. Pascal Lennard Pfeifer Aachen Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

   RWTH Aachen University · Tsinghua University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Mechanical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China

   Faculty of Mechanical Engineering RWTH Aachen University Aachen Germany

3. Ruoyu Feng

   Tsinghua University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Mechanical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China

4. Shuguang Li

   Tsinghua University

   Affiliation as printed

   Beijing Key Laboratory of Transformative High‐end Manufacturing Equipment and Technology Tsinghua University Beijing China

   Department of Mechanical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing China

   Institute for Embodied Intelligence and Robotics Tsinghua University Beijing China