A joint research team from Jeonbuk National University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed an ionic soft robot called the Ionograsper that can detect nearby objects and grasp them in response to light. The findings were published in the international journal Advanced Materials, and the paper was selected as a cover article. The study is titled “A Multifunctional Ionograsper Enabling Ion-Redistribution Proximity Sensing and Structural-Reconfiguration-Driven Bidirectional Actuation.” Jeonbuk National University said Thursday that the research was led by Kim Yong-min, a professor at its School of Chemical Engineering, and Moon Hong-chul, a professor in KAIST’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The university said the key innovation lies in a single soft material that serves as both a sensor and an artificial muscle. The robot can be activated by brief exposure to low-intensity ultraviolet light and retains its deformed shape for more than 10 minutes after the light is switched off, without requiring further energy input.