'Bionic Flaps' Move in Response to Driver's Decisions
Tiny robots developed by EPFL spin-off Foldaway Haptics were installed on a concept car from German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, and unveiled for the first time in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2020. The vehicle, called "VISION AVTR," features bodywork parts that move as the driver signals, accelerates, brakes, and performs other functions. The ultralight robotic device from Foldaway Haptics goes from flat – less than two millimeters thick – to a three-dimensional, moving plate in a fraction of a second. It is manufactured through a layer-by-layer process, so the system can be configured to different sizes.