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Cutting the Cord: Progress in Untethered Soft Robotics and Actuators

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2019

Meng Li ,
Nicholas A Ostrovsky-Snider ,
Metin Sitti  and
Fiorenzo G Omenetto
Meng Li
Affiliation:
Silklab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
Nicholas A Ostrovsky-Snider
Affiliation:
Silklab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
Metin Sitti
Affiliation:
Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, Stuttgart, Germany
Fiorenzo G Omenetto*
Affiliation:
Silklab, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Department of Physics, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA Department of Electrical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA.
*
*Corresponding Author: Fiorenzo G Omenettofiorenzo.omenetto@tufts.edu
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Abstract

In recent decades, increasing research interest has shifted from traditional rigid skeleton robotics to flexible, shape-programmable, environmentally adaptive and stimuli-responsive “soft robotics”. Within this discipline, soft-robots capable of untethered and/or remote-controlled operation are of particular interest given their utility for actuation in complex situations with larger range of mobility and higher degrees of freedom. The use of new materials and the development of advanced fabrication techniques enable better performance and expand the utility of such soft actuators, moving them towards real-world applications. This review outlines some recent advances in untethered soft robotics and actuators to illustrate the promise of these applications at the interface of material science and device engineering.

Keywords

actuationbiomimeticliquid crystalmagneticshape memory

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Type
Articles
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MRS Advances , Volume 4 , Issue 51-52: Snapshot reviews in Materials Advances 2019 , 2019 , pp. 2787 - 2804
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2019 

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