A computer scientist from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia has developed a plant-inspired robot that mimics the climbing of vines.

The robot, dubbed FiloBot, was created by computer scientist Emanuela Del Dottore and her team to re-enact plant behaviors such as phototropism, negative phototropism and gravitropism.

Source: Del Dottore et al., Sci. Robot. 9, eadi5908 (2024)

In the lab, the FiloBot, with its ability to self-assemble via additive manufacturing and sensing, adjusted its growth trajectory in response to moving light intensity.

According to its developers, FiloBot is not like conventional climbing robots that rely on preprogrammed movements. Rather, FiloBot reportedly absorbs 3D printing filament through its head and subsequently incorporates it into the bot’s body, enabling it to extend its length over time in response to external cues.

Del Dottore explained: "By equipping autonomous systems with transportable additive manufacturing techniques merged with bioinspired behavioral strategies, future robots can navigate unstructured and dynamic environments and even be capable of self-building infrastructure."

An article detailing the FiloBot, “This robot grows like a vine — and could help navigate disaster zones,” appears in the journal Nature.