Universal Robot Gripper From Balloon and Coffee

iRobot and the University of Chicago released a video of their universal robotic gripper. This gripper that can conform to the shape of seemingly any object. Once it conforms to an object it uses vacuum to become rigid and grip it. This exploits the property of granular materials such as coffee to become rigid or fluid by applying pressure constraints. Basically, the flexible blue sphere is filled with a granular material (ground coffee) and can become solid when a vacuum is applied. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d4f8fEysf8 This is remarkably simple technology, so expect DIYers to reproduce it in no time. Via Singularity Hub.