Self-amputating and interfusing machines: Using thermoplastic elastomer, the researchers made a reversible joint that "allows for strong attachment and easy detachment of distributed soft robot modules without direct human handling." Mimicking the biological mechanisms of "self-amputation, regeneration, and collective behavior," they used reversible joints "in two embodiments: a soft quadruped robot that self-amputates a limb when stuck, and a cluster of three soft-crawling robots that fuse to c