Imagine a robot or a drone that is made with a'skin' of sorts capable of precise amounts of shock absorption, something tailored to meet the precise needs of the device. That's exactly what MIT researchers have made possible via a new shock-absorbing 3D material for robots that offers all sorts of interesting properties, not the least of which is less bouncy, more precise and controlled landings after a blow. Think of this material as being the very thing BattleBots creators dream of. The material is soft and made with a 3D printer, and it aims to make robots and other devices fitted with it more durable. This could be robots, of course, but also other things that have to take an impact and absorb high levels of shock: helmets, for example, or smartphones.