Contemplate the nature of robotics at EPFL Pavilions

© 2021 EPFL / Alain Herzog EPFL Pavilions re-opens its exhibition Nature of Robotics which offers perspective on robotics in a human and organic environment. At the entrance of Nature of Robotics a couple of robotic snails slither around the floor, leaving behind slimy trails. Two visitors, young boys, enter the exhibit and squat next to the slimy creatures, trying to follow both of them at once. Docents come over to explain that the robotic snails are part of an art instillation called "Maybe" imagined by Swiss artist Urs Fischer. Some of EPFL's most publicized robots are showcased, immobile within glass enclosures, like the robotized version of a fossil called OroBOT inspired by previous research on amphibians , and various reconfigurable robots such as Tribot , folding and jumping robots , and soft robots that use suction to drive mobility. Other less traditional robots on display consist of objects that use static electricity to get a grip of delicate objects or polymers with magnetic tips to navigate through the fine arteries of the human body. These robots are the result of deep scientific investigation and research to solve specific problems, either related to gait, medical functionalities, or for search and rescue missions.