Plants Inspired Shape-Programmable and Reconfigurable Actuation Soft Actuators for Adaptive Grasping, Sensing and Recognition

Developing soft actuators capable of large deformations under various stimuli is crucial for applications in artificial muscles, medical devices, and beyond. However, creating intelligent soft actuators that can operate in diverse environments and perform complex tasks remains challenging. Therefore, inspired by diverse natural plants, a sandwich-structured soft actuator (LPPSA) with shape programmability and reconfigurable actuation, integrating poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) via polypropylene nonwoven fabric is designed and fabricated. Above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), the PNIPAM hydrogel undergoes a transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, allowing for shape programmability of LPPSA through controlled stimuli duration and location. The LCE layer's rapid response to thermal stimuli allows LPPSA to deform quickly, while the photothermal converter (Solvent Black 7) facilitates wireless actuation under near-infrared radiation (NIR). The work demonstrates LPPSA's capabilities in underwater grasping, variable-volume gripping, and biomimetic tasks such as mimicking the opening and closing of flower petals, as well as gesture transformations. Moreover, LPPSA functions as a sensor, transmitting information on motion and temperature, and uses machine learning for underwater object shape recognition. This work establishes a template for designing multifunctional soft actuators capable of operating in diverse environments, advancing applications in soft robotics and intelligent systems.