Reviewed by Lexie CornerMar 10 2025
Researchers at the Institute of Technology at Tartu University have developed a robotics concept that can weave its body on demand, similar to how spiders spin webs. This approach offers new possibilities for adaptability. The robot produces custom components in situ by extruding a heated polymer solution, which cools into fine fibers. The study was published in npj Robotics.
Large language models typically maintain a fixed body while dynamically adapting to changing environments. These models are either built around a one-size-fits-all approach, which often doesn't work well, or optimized for a specific task. But what if a machine could create any structure needed at the precise moment and location based on its environment?
This concept blends the machine with its surroundings, creating a seamless dynamic interaction. It challenges traditional robotic design.
The research team demonstrated the robot's ability to function effectively in complex environments. In one example, the robot created a bridge over obstacles by spinning a continuous fiber network across a simulated debris field. It did this regardless of whether the path contained soft bird feathers or sharp glass shards. In another test, the robot showed superior dexterity. It spun a fibrous "limb" to gently retrieve a delicate flower, surpassing the capabilities of pre-designed robotic limbs.
The team also showed that the webs the robot created could adhere to and anchor themselves on nearly any substrate. This was true regardless of shape, material, or state. The synthetic web utilized mechanical entanglement and physical adhesion, much like a spider's web, to attach to various surfaces.
In tests, the web successfully anchored itself on challenging surfaces such as waxy plant leaves, Teflon, and sponges soaked in mineral oil.
Our approach takes a cue from spiders as nature’s ingenious engineers, yet we found a loophole that lets us sidestep the limitations and excessive complexity of directly imitating spiders.
Marie Vihmar, Study Lead Author, University of Tartu
Vihmar, with a background in design studies, provides a fresh perspective on non-anthropocentric design and how the shape and form of materials contribute to functionality. Senior author Indrek Must, who has a background in material science, ensures that the invention is technologically sound.
Through the convergence of design thinking, material science, and robotics, this interdisciplinary collaboration generates insights and solutions that traditional approaches within any one discipline have yet to achieve.
The team has developed a system that can dynamically assemble itself to address the challenges of unpredictable environments. It leverages the self-assembling properties of polymer fibers, similar to the cast-off kiting silk of spiders. This rethinks how machines interact with the outside world and extends robotics’ potential in disaster relief.
This development opens the door for robots that actively change their environment instead of merely adapting to it. The technology challenges traditional industrial thinking, from adaptive construction techniques that seamlessly integrate machines with landscapes to search and rescue operations in disaster areas. This novel "forest thinking" approach allows machines to evolve and adapt on the fly, rather than relying on rigid, prefabricated systems.
Funded by the Estonian Research Council, this study represents a significant step forward in merging robotics with biological inspiration. It introduces a new era where machines are dynamic entities, capable of reinventing themselves mentally and physically, rather than remaining static tools.
Journal Reference:
Vihmar, M., et al. (2025) Silk-inspired in situ web spinning for situated robots. npj Robotics. doi.org/10.1038/s44182-025-00019-2