Soft Robotics Goes Green: Biodegradable Actuators Made from Rice Paper

Rice paper soft robots

Published: June 25, 2025
Source: Tech Xplore

In a remarkable fusion of sustainability and robotics, researchers from the University of Bristol have successfully engineered biodegradable soft robots made from rice paper—a material more commonly associated with Vietnamese cuisine than technological innovation. Their findings, presented at the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft), introduce an eco-friendly alternative to silicone for single-use or educational soft robotic systems.

Why Rice Paper?

Silicone has long dominated soft robotics for its flexibility and resilience, but its environmental footprint is a growing concern. Enter rice paper—a natural material derived from Oryza sativa (rice) and cassava root (Manihot esculenta). Researchers found it offered comparable softness, strength, and mechanical properties to commonly used elastomers, while being biodegradable in just 32 days.

Lead researcher Christine Braganza noted, “Our goal was to democratize access to soft robotics using safe, compostable materials while reducing long-lasting waste. Rice paper emerged as a surprisingly effective solution.”

Practical Implications

Experiments demonstrated that rice paper not only held up well under typical robotic strains but also decomposed without requiring industrial composting conditions. This makes it ideal for educational kits, rapid prototyping, and public outreach events where safety and environmental impact are priorities.

Applications for this technology could include biodegradable seed-planting robots in agriculture, short-lifecycle drones for environmental sensing, and even single-use biomedical tools.

Next Steps: Full Eco-Robots

The Bristol team now aims to build a fully biodegradable soft robot—complete with a compostable fuel system and control logic. The goal is to release robots into remote environments where they can perform tasks like reseeding in hard-to-reach landscapes, and then safely break down without a trace.

This research not only offers a practical path to greener robotics but also encourages new communities—students, hobbyists, and citizen scientists—to explore the field without needing expensive, non-recyclable components.

Original article: Scientists create soft robots from rice paper that biodegrades safely within 32 days

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