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Scientists Develop an Octopus-Like ‘Soft Robot’ That Can Change Color

Meet Octoid, the squishy robot that changes from blue to green to red.

A research team in South Korea has developed a soft robot named Octoid that can mimic the movement and behavior of an octopus in its natural habitat. The robot’s «triple-in-one» system enables it to shift colors, move and capture prey in a way that is fascinatingly similar to the aquatic animal.

While the scientific world has been working on modeling robots after octopuses for over a decade, this is the first time scientists have been able to combine the way an octopus moves and camouflages itself into a single robot.

Octoid was built by researchers from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, led by a scientist named Dae-Yoon Kim. 

«We aim to expand this technology into the development of intelligent soft machines, such as self-aware, reflexive, and learning-based soft robots,» Kim said in a statement on Thursday. 


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Colorful crystals

The core material used for Octoid is called photonic crystal polymer. It’s a nanostructured material that can do interesting things when light passes through it. By separating and reflecting specific wavelengths of light, this type of polymer can display brilliant colors within its structure. 

Today, photonic crystal polymers have many real-world applications, like high-tech sensors, remote communication and optical computing. But using this material to make soft robots is still a fairly new and emerging field within robotics. 

The researchers used the polymers to give the robot a special structure that has the ability to move in a soft and flexible way while it changes colors. The team was able to control the robot using electrical signals that created microscopic contraction and expansion, which made Octoid change from blue to green to red.

Aquatic robotics

The octopus has a unique body that has interested scientists for years. We’ve seen robots that move like the tentacles of an octopus from a variety of labs and companies. It’s not only octopuses, either; sea creatures seem to capture the imagination of roboticists all over the world. 

The team behind Octoid says the robot showcases new possibilities for biomimetic soft robotics technology. They say that the tech displayed in Octoid’s body has the potential to help in industries like deep-sea rescue, marine ecology monitoring, and hospital robots to help people reach farther, as well as military applications.

«Through this research, we have secured materials for soft robots that can be applied to various fields, including autonomous adaptive robots, military camouflage systems, marine exploration robots and medical micro-robots,» Kim said. 

The paper was originally published on Oct. 15, 2025, in Advanced Functional Materials.

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My 3 Favorite Bose Headphones Deals on Amazon Aren’t Actually From Bose

Baseus’ Inspire XH1, XP1 and XC1 headphones with Sound by Bose are up to 23% off during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. A bonus item makes the deal even harder to ignore.

I gave CNET Editors’ Choice awards to Baseus’ Bose-infused Baseus Inspire XH1 headphones and Inspire XP1 earbuds because they’re well designed and sound decent consider their prices. I also liked Baseus’ Inspire XC1 clip-on earbuds, which have dual drivers. They even earned a spot on CNET’s best clip-on earbuds list and are probably the best clip-on buds at their price right now.  

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale just kicked off, and it’ll be around through March 31. Right now, all three models are discounted to $100 to $123, bringing them near their all-time low prices. 

That’s a deal I’d highlight on its own, but if you click through to any of those models’ Amazon product pages and look closely, you’ll see that each is eligible for «one free item» with purchase. 

Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds of 2026

You must click the how to claim link first. Then click a button on the left side of the screen (above the stars for average ratings) to switch the view from «qualifying items» to «benefit items» and see the freebie. The items tend to be Baseus’ entry-level headphones or earbuds, but if you don’t like the free item option with a $120 purchase, you can try the options at lower prices.   

You can read my full reviews of the Inspire XH1 headphones here and the Inspire XP1 earbuds here. And here’s my quick take on the Inspire XC1 earbuds:

Like Baseus’ noise-isolating Inspire XP1 earbuds, which I rated highly, the Inspire XC1 have Sound by Bose and a more premium design than earlier Baseus earbuds. The XC1 don’t sound as good as the XP1, they’re decent open earbuds and are equipped with dual drivers (one is a Knowles balanced-armature driver that helps improve treble performance). While they don’t produce as much bass as noise-isolating earbuds like the Inspire XP1, their bass performance is better than I expected. The buds’ sound is pretty full, especially in quieter environments, though they do better with less bass-heavy material. I did notice a bit of distortion at higher volumes with certain tracks that feature harder-driving bass.

While I slightly prefer the design and fit of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds, as well as the design of their case, and think the Bose buds sound more natural and a tad better overall, the much more affordable Inspire XC1 fit comfortably and offer top-tier sound for clip-on open earbuds, as well as decent voice-calling performance with good background noise reduction. And they play louder than the Bose, too.

You can grab the Inspire XH1 for $123, the XP1 for $100 and the XC1 for $110, saving you up to 23%. Just remember to claim your free item with your purchase.

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