Multi-stimuli-response programmable soft actuators with site-specific and anisotropic deformation behavior

Robust and Highly Sensitive Cellulose Nanofiber-Based Humidity Actuators

“…A new generation of smart responsive actuators that are capable of converting various environmental energies such as light, heat, temperature, electricity, magnetism, and humidity into reversible shape transformation has been greatly developed for cutting-edge applications in soft robotics, wearables electronics, bionics systems, smart switches, and so on. − Among them, actuators driven by humidity have captured substantial research interest owing to the environmental eco-friendliness and ubiquity of water in nature. , Design principles of the humidity actuation are usually established on the asymmetric deformation induced by differential swelling/de-swelling of materials with different hydrophilic capacities responding to humidity change or the same material responding to gradient humidity stimuli. Currently, the humidity-responsive actuators commonly are constructed by combining the active material layer that is sensitive to humidity with a passive material layer that is inert to humidity into the bilayer/multilayer structure. − However, there remain usually some limitations such as the small bending amplitude, low sensitivity, the poor interfacial adhesion between layers, weak mechanical stability, and a complicated fabrication process, thus impeding their application scopes. − …”

Untethered small-scale magnetic soft robot with programmable magnetization and integrated multifunctional modules

“…There has been tremendous progress in recent years in the development of small-scale, untethered soft robotic systems that are capable of programmable shape morphing through magnetic fields, light, temperature, chemical cues, and other forms of external or environmental stimulation. Such systems have enabled an increasing number of promising applications in cargo grasping (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7), intelligent electronics (8)(9)(10)(11)(12), precision medicines (1,8,(13)(14)(15)(16)(17), and bionics (18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23). However, further progress in creating stimuli-responsive soft robots that are capable of mimicking the rich multifunctionality, agility, and physical adaptability of living creatures (24) remains a notable challenge (25,26).…”

Reconfigurable Magnetic Slime Robot: Deformation, Adaptability, and Multifunction

“…[16,17] Owing to its safety, precision, and fast response, an external magnetic field is a promising choice for actuating small-scale robots. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Thus ferrofluids require hydrophilic surfaces surrounded by waterbased solutions to maintain the shape of the spherical droplets without adhering to the substrate, [53] whereas liquid metals require alkaline or acidic solutions to preserve the form of spherical droplets without adhering to the substrate. [55,56] Therefore, it is necessary to combine the characteristics of large deformations of liquid-based robots with the complex interface adaptability of elastomer-based robots to create novel soft robots.…”

“…[ 16,17 ] Owing to its safety, precision, and fast response, an external magnetic field is a promising choice for actuating small‐scale robots. [ 18–25 ] Thus far, most magnetically actuated soft‐bodied robots have been fabricated from soft elastomers mixed with hard magnetic particles. [ 26–43 ] Such elastomer‐based soft robots perform multiple movement modes, [ 26–28 ] adapt to complex interface environments, [ 31,32 ] and enter confined spaces for robotic manipulation applications.…”