The team engineered a robotic folding sheet made with densely distributed heat-sensitive electrical elements that can change shape when exposed to heat and used it to crawl across a surface, and grasp and lift objects in the lab, including a petri dish, plastic packaging, and a wooden stick. The researchers suggest that the folding sheet can improve the versatility and adaptability of autonomous systems, allowing them to more effectively function on unpredictable terrain. However, they say that further advances in material technology and structural design are needed to fully harness the potential of this technology.