Soft Mobile Robots: a Review of Soft Robotic Locomotion Modes

Sun, Yinan; Abudula, Aihaitijiang; Yang, Hao; Chiang, Shou-Shan; Wan, Zhenyu; Özel, Selim; Hall, Robin; Skorina, Erik H.; Luo, Ming; Önal, Çağdaş D.

doi:10.1007/s43154-021-00070-5

Cited by 28 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 218 publications

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“…This is especially apparent for soft‐bodied robots consisting of a single monolithic actuator which can deform to asymmetrically interact with an environment and drive translational motion. [ 163 ] Although this technique is feasible in simple small‐scale smart materials, larger complex robotic systems instead need to be designed with considerations that allow multimodal locomotion, such as with multiple actuating limbs, functional components, or a chassis that permits complicated motions and adaptability. [ 164 ] Moreover, the advantages of soft materials for multimodal robotics are notably evident when these materials are applied to facilitate active reconfiguration and transformative shape deformation that further enhance or enable additional modes of locomotion and adaptable behaviors.…”

Section: Multimodal Locomotion Of Soft Robotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimodal Soft Robotic Actuation and Locomotion

Yao,

Kim,

Yin

et al. 2024

Advanced Materials

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Diverse and adaptable modes of complex motion observed at different scales in living creatures are challenging to reproduce in robotic systems. Achieving dexterous movement in conventional robots can be difficult due to the many limitations of applying rigid materials. Robots based on soft materials are inherently deformable, compliant, adaptable, and adjustable, making soft robotics conducive to creating machines with complicated actuation and motion gaits. This review examines the mechanisms and modalities of actuation deformation in materials that respond to various stimuli. Then, strategies based on composite materials are considered to build toward actuators that combine multiple actuation modes for sophisticated movements. Examples across literature illustrate the development of soft actuators as free‐moving, entirely soft‐bodied robots with multiple locomotion gaits via careful manipulation of external stimuli. We further highlight how the application of soft functional materials into robots with rigid components further enhances their locomotive abilities. Finally, taking advantage of the shape‐morphing properties of soft materials, reconfigurable soft robots have shown the capacity for adaptive gaits that enable transition across environments with different locomotive modes for optimal efficiency. Overall, soft materials enable varied multimodal motion in actuators and robots, positioning soft robotics to make real‐world applications for intricate and challenging tasks.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

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Section: Multimodal Locomotion Of Soft Robotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multimodal Soft Robotic Actuation and Locomotion

Yao,

Kim,

Yin

et al. 2024

Advanced Materials

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“…The flexibility of soft robots allows them to adapt their shape and movement patterns to navigate across different environments [385]. Biomimetic soft robots are designed to mimic the flexibility and adaptability of living organisms, allowing them to navigate and move through complex environments more effectively [386].…”

Section: Locomotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hard magnetics and soft materials—a synergy

Narayanan,

Pramanik,

Arockiarajan

2024

Smart Mater. Struct.

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Hard-magnetic soft materials (hMSMs) are smart composites that consist of a mechanically soft polymer matrix impregnated with mechanically hard magnetic filler particles. This dual-phase composition renders them with exceptional magneto-mechanical properties that allow them to undergo large reversible deformations under the influence of external magnetic fields. Over the last decade, hMSMs have found extensive applications in soft robotics, adaptive structures, and biomedical devices. However, despite their widespread utility, they pose considerable challenges in fabrication and magneto-mechanical characterization owing to their multi-phase nature, miniature length scales, and nonlinear material behavior. Although noteworthy attempts have been made to understand their coupled nature, the rudimentary concepts of inter-phase interactions that give rise to their mechanical nonlinearity remain insufficiently understood, and this impedes their further advancements. This holistic review addresses these standalone concepts and bridges the gaps by providing a thorough examination of their myriad fabrication techniques, applications, and experimental, and modeling approaches. Specifically, the review presents a wide spectrum of fabrication techniques, ranging from traditional molding to cutting-edge four-dimensional (4D) printing, and their unbounded prospects in diverse fields of research. The review covers various modeling approaches, including continuum mechanical frameworks encompassing phenomenological and homogenization models, as well as microstructural models. Additionally, it addresses emerging techniques like machine learning-based modeling in the context of hMSMs. Finally, the expansive landscape of these promising material systems is provided for a better understanding and prospective research.

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“…Schegg et al [ 37 ] and Rus et al [ 38 ] comprehensively reviewed the simulation/design, modeling, and control of soft robotics. Sun et al [ 39 ] provided a comprehensive overview of recent soft robotic locomotion research. Armanini et al [ 40 ] reviewed the modeling of soft robots.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recent Advances on Underwater Soft Robots

Qu,

Xu,

et al. 2023

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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The ocean environment has enormous uncertainty due to the influence of complex waves and undercurrents. The human beings are limited in their abilities to detect and utilize marine resources without powerful tools. Soft robots employ soft materials to simplify the complex mechanical structures in rigid robots and adapt their morphology to the environment, making them suitable for performing some challenging tasks in place of manual labor. Due to superior flexible and deformable bodies, underwater soft robots have played significant roles in numerous applications in recent decades. Meanwhile, various technical challenges still need to be tackled to ensure the reliability and practical performance of underwater soft robots in complicated ocean environment. Nowadays, some researchers have developed underwater soft robotic systems based on biomimetics and other disciplines, aiming at comprehensive exploration of ocean and appropriate utilization of unexploited resources. This review presents the recent advances of underwater soft robots in the aspects of intelligent soft materials, fabrication, actuation, locomotion patterns, power storage, sensing, control, and modeling; additionally, the existing challenges and perspectives are analyzed as well.

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Soft Mobile Robots: a Review of Soft Robotic Locomotion Modes

Cited by 28 publications

References 218 publications

Multimodal Soft Robotic Actuation and Locomotion

Multimodal Soft Robotic Actuation and Locomotion

Hard magnetics and soft materials—a synergy

Recent Advances on Underwater Soft Robots

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