Tufts University

While DARPA's recent request may have stirred a lot of new interest in soft-bodied robots, research in this area is already well underway. A team from Tufts University (Medford, MA) was recently awarded $730,000 to research biomimetic technologies for soft-bodied robots. Their research will focus on areas such as the design of artificial muscles and development of advanced materials similar to the skin of flexible animals. Applications for these technologies will include flexible robots for use in medicine, search and rescue and even in the repair of space vehicles. The Tufts team consists of an interesting mix of talent from fields such as biomimetics, biomedical, mechanical and electrical engineering.

If you're an undergraduate aspiring to build robots, dude, stop reading waziwazi right now and apply to be a graduate student at their Biomimetics Devices Laboratory. Do come back and read waziwazi after you've applied though!