Stimuli-responsive polymer-based bioinspired soft robots

Abstract

Soft robotics enables various applications in certain environments where conventional rigid robotics cannot deliver the same performance due to their form factor and stiffness. Animals use their soft external organs to carry out activities in response to challenging natural environments efficiently. The objective of soft robots is to provide biologically inspired abilities and enable adaptable and flexible interactions with complex objects and surroundings. Recent advances in stimuli-responsive soft robot technology have heavily used polymer-based multifunctional materials. Soft robots with incredibly sophisticated multi-mechanical, electrical, or optical capabilities have demonstrated the ability to modify their shape intelligently in response to external stimuli, such as light, electricity, thermal gradient, and magnetic fields. This short review covers recent advances in scientific techniques for incorporating multifunctional polymeric materials into stimuli-responsive bioinspired soft robots and their applications. We also discuss how biological inspiration and environmental effects can provide a viable viewpoint for bioinspired design in the innovative field of soft robotics. Lastly, we highlight the future outlooks and prospects for soft, stimuli-responsive, bio-inspired robots.