SMRTR Science & EngineeringFeb 3, 2026Interesting Engineering

Lego-like mechanical blocks let robots reprogram stiffness and swimming paths

SMRTR summary

Duke University engineers created Lego-like blocks that can reprogram their mechanical properties by switching internal cells between solid and liquid states using heat. When assembled into robotic fish tails, the same blocks produced completely different swimming patterns based solely on which internal cells were liquified, demonstrating programmable materials that change behavior without changing shape.

SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to Interesting Engineering.

Read the original article
SMRTR Science & Engineering

Get the next batch of curated summaries in your inbox.

This archive is built from SMRTR newsletter summaries. Subscribe for hand-picked stories without the extra noise.