• A novel rescue manipulator design integrates soft robotic arms, underactuated mechanisms, and suction cups, inspired by Drosera adhesion and stress envelope effect.
• The manipulator distributes force across the entire human body surface, reducing local pressure and enhancing safety and stability during rescue.
• Grasping experiments on a human chest contour model and various objects validated the design's feasibility and potential for ground object grasping.
• The proposed approach addresses limitations of existing rescue robots, offering improved carrying capacity and adaptability for human rescue operations.