Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots
This paper comprehensively reviews the latest advances in hydrogel-based continuum soft robots. Hydrogels exhibit exceptional flexibility and adaptability compared to traditional robots reliant on rigid structures, making them ideal as biomimetic robotic skins and platforms for constructing highly a...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Gels |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/4/254 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850144040585003008 |
|---|---|
| author | Honghong Wang Jingli Du Yi Mao |
| author_facet | Honghong Wang Jingli Du Yi Mao |
| author_sort | Honghong Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper comprehensively reviews the latest advances in hydrogel-based continuum soft robots. Hydrogels exhibit exceptional flexibility and adaptability compared to traditional robots reliant on rigid structures, making them ideal as biomimetic robotic skins and platforms for constructing highly accurate, real-time responsive sensory interfaces. The article systematically summarizes recent research developments across several key dimensions, including application domains, fabrication methods, actuator technologies, and sensing mechanisms. From an application perspective, developments span healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. Regarding fabrication techniques, the paper extensively explores crosslinking methods, additive manufacturing, microfluidics, and other related processes. Additionally, the article categorizes and thoroughly discusses various hydrogel-based actuators responsive to solute/solvent variations, pH, chemical reactions, temperature, light, magnetic fields, electric fields, hydraulic/electro-osmotic stimuli, and humidity. It also details the strategies for designing and implementing diverse sensors, including strain, pressure, humidity, conductive, magnetic, thermal, gas, optical, and multimodal sensors. Finally, the paper offers an in-depth discussion of the prospective applications of hydrogel-based continuum soft robots, particularly emphasizing their potential in medical and industrial fields. Concluding remarks include a forward-looking outlook highlighting future challenges and promising research directions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6a6b3efb02734b32b4ac4ab8ba81da7f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj-art-6a6b3efb02734b32b4ac4ab8ba81da7f2025-08-20T02:28:28ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-03-0111425410.3390/gels11040254Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft RobotsHonghong Wang0Jingli Du1Yi Mao2School of Mechano-Electronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, ChinaSchool of Mechano-Electronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, ChinaSchool of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, ChinaThis paper comprehensively reviews the latest advances in hydrogel-based continuum soft robots. Hydrogels exhibit exceptional flexibility and adaptability compared to traditional robots reliant on rigid structures, making them ideal as biomimetic robotic skins and platforms for constructing highly accurate, real-time responsive sensory interfaces. The article systematically summarizes recent research developments across several key dimensions, including application domains, fabrication methods, actuator technologies, and sensing mechanisms. From an application perspective, developments span healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. Regarding fabrication techniques, the paper extensively explores crosslinking methods, additive manufacturing, microfluidics, and other related processes. Additionally, the article categorizes and thoroughly discusses various hydrogel-based actuators responsive to solute/solvent variations, pH, chemical reactions, temperature, light, magnetic fields, electric fields, hydraulic/electro-osmotic stimuli, and humidity. It also details the strategies for designing and implementing diverse sensors, including strain, pressure, humidity, conductive, magnetic, thermal, gas, optical, and multimodal sensors. Finally, the paper offers an in-depth discussion of the prospective applications of hydrogel-based continuum soft robots, particularly emphasizing their potential in medical and industrial fields. Concluding remarks include a forward-looking outlook highlighting future challenges and promising research directions.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/4/254hydrogelsoft robotscontinuum robotcontinuum soft robotshydrogel-based |
| spellingShingle | Honghong Wang Jingli Du Yi Mao Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots Gels hydrogel soft robots continuum robot continuum soft robots hydrogel-based |
| title | Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots |
| title_full | Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots |
| title_fullStr | Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots |
| title_short | Hydrogel-Based Continuum Soft Robots |
| title_sort | hydrogel based continuum soft robots |
| topic | hydrogel soft robots continuum robot continuum soft robots hydrogel-based |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/4/254 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT honghongwang hydrogelbasedcontinuumsoftrobots AT jinglidu hydrogelbasedcontinuumsoftrobots AT yimao hydrogelbasedcontinuumsoftrobots |