<p>➀ Researchers at the University of Coimbra developed a novel soft actuator powered by boiling water, converting water into steam via an embedded heater to generate motion, offering simplicity and scalability without pumps or high voltage.</p><p>➁ The actuator operates at 24V, delivers over 50N of force, and achieves rapid pressure build-up (100 kPa/s), demonstrating durability through 1,000+ cycles and outperforming traditional designs in speed and reliability.</p><p>➂ Prototype robots, including a gripper and a climbing robot (Bixo), showcase real-world applicability for tasks like object manipulation and navigating unstructured environments, highlighting safe, low-cost, and pump-free solutions.</p>