Soft robotics最新文献

Femtosecond Laser Ablation of Dielectric Elastomer Microactuator Arrays Enables Scalable Smart Surface Manipulation. 介电弹性体微致动器阵列的飞秒激光烧蚀实现可扩展的智能表面操作。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-15 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261492506

Artem Bogatyrev, Xi Wang, Zhirong Liao, Xin Dong, Dragos Axinte

{"title":"Femtosecond Laser Ablation of Dielectric Elastomer Microactuator Arrays Enables Scalable Smart Surface Manipulation.","authors":"Artem Bogatyrev, Xi Wang, Zhirong Liao, Xin Dong, Dragos Axinte","doi":"10.1177/21695172261492506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21695172261492506","url":null,"abstract":"Miniaturization of manipulation systems can be advanced using dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). In this work, we present a laser-assisted fabrication method for DEA electrodes using a femtosecond laser, enabling the formation of both macro- and microscale electrode patterns with high precision. The low ablation threshold of carbon nanotubes, combined with the near-infrared transparency of elastomers, allows for selective removal of the conductive layer with minimal thermal damage to the elastomer. This single-step laser ablation process was employed to fabricate the actuation layers of DEAs, incorporating both the electrode geometry and integrated conductive wire connections. Based on this approach, we constructed a miniaturized cone-shaped actuator composed of two stacked actuation layers separated by a central cylindrical pin, resulting in simultaneous actuation and self-sensing. We further introduced cone-shaped DEA arrays (up to 4 × 4) to realize scalable smart surface manipulation. Their capabilities have been demonstrated through two representative applications: (i) guiding a steel ball through a maze by dynamically tilting the maze surface by the DEA arrays and (ii) steering a reflected laser beam by controlling the orientation of a mirror via the DEA array. These demonstrations highlight the scalability and multifunctionality of laser-fabricated DEA arrays for next-generation soft robotic interactive surface systems.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"21695172261492506"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149198703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Synergistic Roles of Hard and Soft Structures in Fingertip Tactile Sensing. 软硬结构在指尖触觉感知中的协同作用。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-12 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261496958

Parvathi Sunilkumar, Ege Cogulu, Thrishantha Nanayakkara

{"title":"Synergistic Roles of Hard and Soft Structures in Fingertip Tactile Sensing.","authors":"Parvathi Sunilkumar, Ege Cogulu, Thrishantha Nanayakkara","doi":"10.1177/21695172261496958","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21695172261496958","url":null,"abstract":"Touch is often attributed to the skin, but what if hard structures above the contact surface play a larger role than we thought? While most haptic research focuses on soft tissue, we explore how the fingernail and distal phalanx bone contribute to texture perception, combining human exploration data, finite element analysis (FEA), and experiments with a soft robotic fingertip equipped with Hall-effect sensors. Analysis of human exploration revealed a predominant use of lateral movements, which informed the robotic and simulation procedures. FEA showed that adding rigid elements altered internal stress patterns within the soft tissue during lateral sweeping, increasing strain variability in regions relevant for sensing. Lateral sweeping consistently produced higher strain variability than longitudinal motion, with Shannon entropy ratios up to 1.96 across probe regions. Robotic texture classification experiments quantified these effects: Adding only a nail improved discrimination accuracy by 22%, adding only a bone by 51%, and integrating both features increased performance by more than 88% compared to the soft-only model. These results demonstrate that the nail and distal phalanx bone provide complementary mechanical benefits that enhance texture-related signal richness and can improve the efficacy of soft tactile systems. This study can lead to a design principle for soft robotic tactile systems in prosthetics, surgical robotics, and dexterous manipulation where sensing performance must be maximized without increasing sensor complexity.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"21695172261496958"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149170622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The Soft Circuits Toolkit: Teaching Mechano-Fluidic Logic for Soft Robotics. 软电路工具包：软机器人的机械-流体逻辑教学。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-07 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261462701

Catharina M van Riet, Shibo Zou, Franciscus L M Delbressine, Anke van Oosterhout, Johannes T B Overvelde

{"title":"The Soft Circuits Toolkit: Teaching Mechano-Fluidic Logic for Soft Robotics.","authors":"Catharina M van Riet, Shibo Zou, Franciscus L M Delbressine, Anke van Oosterhout, Johannes T B Overvelde","doi":"10.1177/21695172261462701","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/21695172261462701","url":null,"abstract":"As soft robotics gains popularity, novel toolkits and educational systems for soft robotics are emerging. These endeavors focus mainly on teaching the programming or fabrication of soft robots, actuators, and sensors. However, as soft robotics moves toward electronics- and software-free control, it becomes essential to gain hands-on experience in soft fluidic circuit building and physical control. We bridge this gap in the educational landscape through the Soft Circuits Toolkit, a modular system of completely soft components that enables the creation and teaching of fluidic circuits, representing fluidic analogies of components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors. The toolkit went through two design iterations and four user tests, which ultimately resulted in the toolkit presented in this article, consisting of 17 component types, a manual, and a companion website. User testing across various dimensions, including user experience, with technical university students (N = 25) indicates that our toolkit is engaging, easy to learn, and promotes problem-solving behaviors. Based on these results, we believe that our kit can support technical universities in teaching about fluidic circuit building and physical control of soft robotics. All fabrication files for this toolkit have been made available open source.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"21695172261462701"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149129571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Neuromechanical Effects of a Soft Shoulder Exoskeleton in Overhead Industrial Tasks: Evidence from Multimodal Physiological Evaluation. 软肩外骨骼在头顶工业任务中的神经力学效应：来自多模态生理评估的证据。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-17 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261432103

Bin Chen, Jingxian Cai, Mengyuan Wang, Lu Xiao, Ya Wang, Shuo Ding, Shuaishuai Han, Haoyong Yu, Wenxin Niu

{"title":"Neuromechanical Effects of a Soft Shoulder Exoskeleton in Overhead Industrial Tasks: Evidence from Multimodal Physiological Evaluation.","authors":"Bin Chen, Jingxian Cai, Mengyuan Wang, Lu Xiao, Ya Wang, Shuo Ding, Shuaishuai Han, Haoyong Yu, Wenxin Niu","doi":"10.1177/21695172261432103","DOIUrl":"10.1177/21695172261432103","url":null,"abstract":"Overhead industrial work frequently causes shoulder work-related musculoskeletal disorders. These tasks require not only localized muscle activation but also integrated central nervous system regulation for motor control. Although soft exoskeletons have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing peripheral musculoskeletal load, their impact on central nervous system regulation remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the biomechanical benefits and corticomuscular coupling of a soft exoskeleton during industrial tasks. Fifteen healthy males performed standardized screwing and lifting tasks under exoskeleton-assisted and unassisted conditions. Multimodal physiological signals were acquired through: surface electromyography for muscle activation, functional near-infrared spectroscopy for cortex hemodynamics and ratings of perceived exertion for subjective perception. Corticomuscular coupling was analyzed based on hemodynamic and electromyographic metrics. The anterior deltoid activity decreased by 25.0% during lifting, while biceps brachii effort in screwing tasks was reduced by 46.1% and ratings of perceived exertion were mitigated during the early phase of screwing operations. Concurrently, wearing the exoskeleton during lifting significantly lowered cortical activation compared with the screwing tasks. The exoskeleton task-specifically enhanced corticomuscular coupling within sensorimotor pathways during precision screwing task, while reducing dorsolateral prefrontal pathways during lifting. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the soft shoulder exoskeleton has the potential to simultaneously provide biomechanical support and corticomuscular coupling adaptation, thereby enhancing motor control and mitigating work-related musculoskeletal disorders.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"764-775"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147501011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

HyReach: Vision-Guided Hybrid Manipulator Reaching in Cluttered Unseen Environments. HyReach：在杂乱的看不见的环境中到达的视觉引导混合机械臂。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-27 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261439479

Shivani Kamtikar, Kendall Koe, Justin Wasserman, Samhita Marri, Benjamin Walt, Naveen Kumar Uppalapati, Girish Krishnan, Girish Chowdhary

引用次数: 0

Monolithically Printed Pneumatic Proprioceptive Actuator with Integrated Optical Waveguide Using a Single Material. 采用单一材料集成光波导的单片印刷气动本体感觉驱动器。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-04 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261420664

Shaowu Tang, Xiaohuang Liu, Zhonggui Fang, Yige Wu, Juan Yi, Zheng Wang, Jian S Dai, Sicong Liu

{"title":"Monolithically Printed Pneumatic Proprioceptive Actuator with Integrated Optical Waveguide Using a Single Material.","authors":"Shaowu Tang, Xiaohuang Liu, Zhonggui Fang, Yige Wu, Juan Yi, Zheng Wang, Jian S Dai, Sicong Liu","doi":"10.1177/21695172261420664","DOIUrl":"10.1177/21695172261420664","url":null,"abstract":"In muscle tissues, muscle fibers generate active force, muscle spindles provide passive proprioceptive feedback, and connective tissues tightly bind their movements together, forming a reliable biological system. Inspired by this, we propose a single material fabrication method to monolithically print pneumatic proprioceptive actuators (MPPPAs). By leveraging the multifunctional properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), including inherent flexibility, fusibility, and translucency, and employing a desktop-level fused deposition modeling printer, airtight chambers and embedded optical waveguides are realized within a continuous printing process. Optimized printing parameters lead to fully densified chambers, resulting in a leakage rate of only 0.85% under 200 kPa and maintaining 462.55 kPa after 10 minutes from an initial 500 kPa. The optical waveguides exhibit robust proprioception, maintaining a stable signal over 5000 bending cycles with less than 0.5% drift. Mechanical tests confirm synchronized deformation and continuous structural integration across the monolithically co-printed actuator-sensor region, enabling MPPPAs to achieve reliable actuation-sensing performance with sensing errors below 1.82%. Demonstrations include precise surface contour measurement with the root mean square error of 0.16 mm and real-time gripping width estimation, validating the method's effectiveness in fabricating compact and stable proprioceptive actuators. This research advances actuation-sensing integration in soft robotics, enabling streamlined fabrication and improved reliability for future intelligent systems.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"711-723"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Three-Finger Borescope-Mounted IPMC Gripper. 三指内窥镜安装IPMC夹持器。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-05-07 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261441906

Wonjin Kim, Soohyun Lim, Sangryul Kim, Jonghyeok Lee, Sung-Hoon Ahn

{"title":"Three-Finger Borescope-Mounted IPMC Gripper.","authors":"Wonjin Kim, Soohyun Lim, Sangryul Kim, Jonghyeok Lee, Sung-Hoon Ahn","doi":"10.1177/21695172261441906","DOIUrl":"10.1177/21695172261441906","url":null,"abstract":"Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are prominent soft actuators for millimeter-scale robotics due to their large bending deformation and high force-to-weight ratio. This work introduces an integrated soft robotic system featuring a three-channel IPMC gripper attached to a borescope for micromanipulation. A laser ablation technique partitions a single IPMC into three independently actuated channels, simplifying wiring complexity and enabling stable grasping of objects with complex geometries. While the hardware provides effective manipulation, teleoperation in microscale environments presents a significant challenge, as operators struggle to reliably determine contact and grasp stability from 2D visual feedback alone. To address this, we introduce a vision-based operator assistance system. Using a YOLOv8 segmentation model, our system processes the borescope's video feed in real-time to identify the gripper fingers and target objects, providing clear visual cues for \"touched\" and \"grabbed\" states. This human-in-the-loop feedback enhances operator precision and consistency and, for the first time, enables a quantitative evaluation of the gripper's performance. Experimental results demonstrate reliable grasping of diverse objects (0.3-6 mm) and validate the system's ability to provide objective success metrics. This work contributes an integrated and intelligent micromanipulation system that augments human capabilities and establishes a framework for future autonomous control.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"840-849"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147848146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Biologically Constrained Insect Models Enable Realistic Simulations and Improve Biomechanical Predictions of Locomotion. 生物约束昆虫模型使现实的模拟和改善运动的生物力学预测。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-25 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261435551

Omer Yuval, Elad Ozeri, Avi Amir, Amir Ayali

{"title":"Biologically Constrained Insect Models Enable Realistic Simulations and Improve Biomechanical Predictions of Locomotion.","authors":"Omer Yuval, Elad Ozeri, Avi Amir, Amir Ayali","doi":"10.1177/21695172261435551","DOIUrl":"10.1177/21695172261435551","url":null,"abstract":"Animal locomotion emerges from the complex interplay of morphology, neural control, and biomechanics, involving both active and passive elements. Insects have attracted much interest, and a rich ecosystem of computational models exists for insect locomotion. However, while active control mechanisms have been extensively studied, obtaining accurate and useful models remains challenging due to limited understanding of how detailed anatomical constraints and passive biomechanical properties shape movement. To address this, we developed anatomically accurate 3D models of the adult desert locust and mole cricket, two orthopteran insects that share a basic body plan but exhibit strikingly different morphologies linked to their habitats and specialized locomotor behaviors-jumping in locusts versus subterranean digging in mole crickets. We fine-tuned these models using precise morphometric measurements for each major body segment. Furthermore, we quantified passive joint dynamics through high-speed videography of anesthetized locust, revealing a two-phase return motion and history-dependent resting angles. By integrating these biologically grounded constraints into physical simulations, we significantly narrowed the parameter space, resulting in more realistic simulations. Our approach provides new tools for predicting biologically relevant, yet experimentally challenging variables, such as joint torques and contact forces, which contribute directly to the understanding of the underlying biological phenomena. Moreover, these improved simulations offer valuable insight for designing energy-efficient soft robotic systems.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"776-786"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147793293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Ternary Origami Spring Actuator: Multimodal Deformation via Programmable Folding Sequences for Bioinspired Soft Robotics. 三元折纸弹簧驱动器：多模态变形通过可编程折叠序列的生物启发软机器人。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-16 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261424788

KeWei Qian, Fang Xie, PengShuai Nie, Zhao Li, Xiaobo Gong

{"title":"Ternary Origami Spring Actuator: Multimodal Deformation via Programmable Folding Sequences for Bioinspired Soft Robotics.","authors":"KeWei Qian, Fang Xie, PengShuai Nie, Zhao Li, Xiaobo Gong","doi":"10.1177/21695172261424788","DOIUrl":"10.1177/21695172261424788","url":null,"abstract":"Origami provides an efficient methodology for reconfigurable fabrication, enabling the creation of diverse origami structures through programmable folding techniques. However, conventional fold-driven structures are often limited to predefined deformation modes, while multimodal designs typically require multiple independent actuators. To address these challenges, this study proposes a ternary origami spring structure that integrates multimodal deformations into its folding sequence and achieves single pneumatic source-driven actuation. The core architecture comprises three interwoven inflatable strips, forming a programmable and reconfigurable origami actuator. Our investigation revealed that editing the folding sequence generates complex spatial trajectories. Building on this discovery, we developed a simulation algorithm to predict shape deployment based on folding sequences and utilized it for computational design. Following bio-inspired principles, functional prototypes were fabricated to validate shape-programming capabilities and operational efficacy. The independent folding scheme was also explored. This work demonstrates significant potential for autonomous design, rapid prototyping, and unmanned deployment of soft robotics in space applications.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"740-751"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146204568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Responses of Carbon Nanotube/Polydimethylsiloxane Composite-Based Soft Resistive and Capacitive Strain Sensors Under Fast, Dynamic Loads. 基于碳纳米管/聚二甲基硅氧烷复合材料的软电阻/电容应变传感器在快速动态载荷下的响应。

IF 6.1

Soft robotics Pub Date : 2026-10-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-24 DOI: 10.1177/21695172261425552

Hee-Sup Shin, Sarah Bergbreiter

{"title":"Responses of Carbon Nanotube/Polydimethylsiloxane Composite-Based Soft Resistive and Capacitive Strain Sensors Under Fast, Dynamic Loads.","authors":"Hee-Sup Shin, Sarah Bergbreiter","doi":"10.1177/21695172261425552","DOIUrl":"10.1177/21695172261425552","url":null,"abstract":"Sensors made from soft polymer composites help intelligent systems become more functional and robust, enabling new applications in which conventional rigid devices may be unsuitable. Although soft sensors have been well studied under quasi-static loading conditions, their performance and effect of sensor transduction under large-amplitude strains (≥10%) at higher frequencies (≥10 Hz) have been less explored. We carried out a comprehensive study of both piezoresistive and capacitive strain sensors made using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and carbon nanotube-doped PDMS. The effects of viscoelastic stress relaxation on the sensors' responses were evaluated and captured using a generalized Maxwell model, which was then used to predict higher frequency mechanical behaviors. The sensors were then characterized under uniaxial tensile loads with three load amplitudes and 11 frequencies ranging from 0.01 to 40 Hz. Our results revealed that capacitive sensing is less sensitive to both loading conditions compared to resistive sensing due to its dependence on changing sensor geometry instead of the electromechanical properties of the soft polymer composite. New results from dynamic loads over 10 Hz also provide evidence to support previous hypotheses regarding the nonlinear behaviors of soft piezoresistive sensors. We expect these findings can serve as a framework for improved deployment of soft sensors in more dynamic robotic systems.","PeriodicalId":94210,"journal":{"name":"Soft robotics","volume":" ","pages":"752-763"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0