The fingers bend inward to grasp the tire, while the stem contracts upwards to lift. MIT CSAILI CAN’T SIT here and promise you that the robot apocalypse isn’t coming, that the machines won’t eventually rise up and overthrow their makers. But what I can promise you is that not all of them will be able to punch you out. Because robots are going soft. Like, literally soft, controlled with liquid or air instead of traditional motors. It’s called soft robotics, naturally, and it’s hot at the moment.via