The overview of GrowHR. (A) The structure of the growable linkage compared with bone. (B) Comparison between the growth mechanism of robots and the bone. Credit: Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaea2831

Humanoid robots look impressive and have enormous potential to change our daily lives, but they still have a reputation for being clunky. They’re also heavy and stiff, and if they fall, they can easily break and injure people around them.

But that could be about to change. Researchers at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Shenzhen have unveiled a soft humanoid robot that can change its size, squeeze through spaces, and even walk on water. The key to this outstanding flexibility is a system the team developed called GrowHR. The research, published in Science Advances, describes how the robot was inspired by the way human bones develop.

Flying. The video showcases the robot’s potential for aerial transport. The lightweight robot is lifted by ducted fans and transported 5.5 km by a drone before a successful landing. Credit: Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaea2831

Borrowing from biology

When bones develop and grow, they use nutrients from the body to expand in size while staying incredibly strong and lightweight. The team mimicked this by building "bones" for their robot out of soft airtight chambers wrapped in a tough fabric skin.

Design and experimental verification of growable linkages. The video introduces the bone-inspired design of the linkages and demonstrates their improved vertical stability. It verifies the effectiveness of the linear guides and fabric covers in maintaining balance under load. Credit: Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaea2831

When they pump air into these chambers, the robot’s limbs can stretch to over three times their original length. This allows them to be stiff enough to walk and carry loads, yet soft enough to absorb an impact.

To keep these growable parts stable, the researchers linked them together with tension cables, small motors, and carbon-fiber guides.

This unique design allows the robot to adapt its body to numerous situations. When researchers let air out of the limb chambers, the robot can shrink to 36% of its height and 61% of its width, allowing it to squeeze through narrow gaps and under low furniture.

Transition between walking and crawling modes. This video illustrates the seamless transition between bipedal and crawling modes. By deflating the legs to reduce hip torque, the robot reversibly switches between locomotion configurations. Credit: Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaea2831

Because it is so light (weighing about 4.5 kilograms), it can easily float, swim, and walk on water. Add some small fans, and it can fly away too. This humanoid robot has also been designed with safety in mind. As the body is soft and elastic, it can accidentally bump into someone without causing injury.

"GrowHR is intrinsically safe for users, the environment, and itself, even when it bumps into surroundings or experiences strong impacts," commented the researchers in their paper.

Transformation and locomotion. The robot deploys from a compact package (0.4 × 0.3 × 0.6 m) to its full size. It then demonstrates navigating through low openings and narrow gaps by actively deflating its body components. Credit: Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaea2831

What’s next for GrowHR?

GrowHR is still a lab prototype and has a few limitations to overcome, such as the waterproof skin affecting its movement in water. But even so, the team sees huge potential for their technology. "This work pioneers a growable, multifunctional robotic design approach for dynamic, complex environments."

Swimming and walking on water. Leveraging its lightweight design (4.5 kg), GrowHR demonstrates swimming using servomotors, performing a simulated rescue, and walking on the water surface using foot-mounted fins. Credit: Liu et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eaea2831

This includes squeezing through rubble during search-and-rescue missions, flying to remote locations to drop off medicines and supplies, and, of course, helping out around the home.

Written for you by our author Paul Arnold, edited by Gaby Clark, and fact-checked and reviewed by Robert Egan—this article is the result of careful human work. We rely on readers like you to keep independent science journalism alive. If this reporting matters to you, please consider a donation (especially monthly). You’ll get an ad-free account as a thank-you.

More information: Hao Liu et al, Bioinspired growable humanoid robot with bone-mimetic linkages for versatile mobility, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aea2831

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