Controllable Passive Suction Cups With Mechanical Programmability for Soft Robotics (Adv. Funct. Mater. 56/2026)

Mechanically Programmable Suction Cup The cover illustrates a passive membrane suction cup with multi-loop reinforcing ribs generating stable suction during large-displacement lifting, revealing how the thin membrane governs dynamic deformation and cavity pressure. This lightweight, energy-efficient, mechanically programmable suction cup leverages inherent compliance to switch between attachment and detachment, and between static and sliding friction for advanced robotic manipulation and locomotion. More details can be found in the Research Article by Shuguang Li and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/adfm.75782).