The prize, presented on July 23 in Munich, recognizes Rus’s pioneering work in self-organizing robot collectives, soft robotics, autonomous mobility, and brain-inspired AI. Her research emphasizes the development of intelligent systems capable of real-world adaptation, exemplified by innovations such as ingestible robots and self-assembling autonomous boats. Rus’s achievements position her at the forefront of physical AI, with implications for various sectors including transportation and healthcare.