Reuters 🇰🇷 KAIST AND STANFORD

⚡TECH: Researchers from 🇰🇷 KAIST and Stanford University have developed an innovative soft robotics system that enables clothing to dress a person automatically using air-powered "vine" robots that wrap around the body in around 10 seconds. The technology embeds inflatable robotic tubes into garments. When pressurized, the soft "vines" grow and climb over the wearer's body like ivy, turning the fabric inside out to guide clothing into place without requiring precise movements or the user to remain perfectly still. Detailed in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, the system is designed to adapt to complex human body shapes while maintaining stable movement through soft, compliant robotics rather than rigid mechanical parts. Researchers envision the technology being used in semiconductor cleanrooms, where workers must quickly wear contamination-free protective suits, as well as for emergency PPE deployment and helping elderly or disabled individuals dress independently. The breakthrough highlights how soft robotics is moving beyond laboratories into practical assistive technologies, bringing autonomous wearable systems closer to everyday real-world use. 👕🤖💨♿