Liquid Crystalline Elastomers in Soft Robotics: Assessing Promise and Limitations
Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are programmable soft materials that undergo large, anisotropic deformation in response to external stimuli. Their molecular alignment encodes directional actuation in a monolithic structure, making them long‐standing candidates for soft robotic systems.
Justin M. Speregen, Timothy J. White
wiley +1 more source
The MT-FEM Model for Predicting Young's Modulus of Graphene Composites with Complex Morphologies. [PDF]
Zhai X +4 more
europepmc +1 more source
Compliant Pneumatic Feet with Real‐Time Stiffness Adaptation for Humanoid Locomotion
A compliant pneumatic foot with real‐time variable stiffness enables humanoid robots to adapt to changing terrains. Using onboard vision and pressure control, the foot modulates stiffness within each gait cycle, reducing impact forces and improving balance. The design, cast in soft silicone with embedded air chambers and Kevlar wrapping, offers durable,
Irene Frizza +3 more
wiley +1 more source
Robust Physics-Informed Neural Network Approach for Estimating Heterogeneous Elastic Properties from Noisy Displacement Data. [PDF]
Srikitrungruang T +4 more
europepmc +1 more source
Origami‐Inspired Structural Design for Aquatic‐Terrestrial Amphibious Robots
This work presents a lightweight amphibious origami robot actuated by a single shape memory alloy wire. A rigid foldable origami structure with displacement amplification enables efficient terrestrial crawling and aquatic swimming. The addition of fan‐shaped units allows controllable turning in both environments.
Weiqi Liu +5 more
wiley +1 more source
A Soft Robotic Fish With a Dielectric Elastomer Actuator Body and Negative Stiffness Spine
This work introduces a bio‐mimetic soft robotic fish driven by fiber‐reinforced dielectric elastomer actuators integrated as its body. By prestretching this active skin against a flexible spine, a negative stiffness system is created, enabling large‐amplitude bending.
Markus Koenigsdorff +4 more
wiley +1 more source
Molecular Dynamics-Based Calibrated Micromechanics Model for Elastic Properties of Fullerene-PMMA Nanocomposites Incorporating Interface Stress. [PDF]
Sahmani S, Postek E, Sadowski T.
europepmc +1 more source
Hybrid Continuum Robot Designs and Architectures for Healthcare Applications
Hybrid continuum robots represent an emerging class of flexible manipulators that blend materials, structures, and actuation concepts from the established fields of soft and continuum robotics. This review introduces an accessible framework to distinguish key hybridization approaches, surveys current designs aimed at complex clinical applications, and ...
Burak Ozdemir +4 more
wiley +1 more source
3D‐Printing Aided Rapid Prototyping of Pretensioned Tensegrity Structures for Robotic Applications
Printing, injection molding, and assembly (PMA) is a method for rapid prototyping mesoscale, topologically complex, and tensioned tensegrity structures. In combination with PMA method, two mold design strategies: modular mold and compact channel layout, enable efficiency and scalability for tensegrity fabrication.
Yi Sun +3 more
wiley +1 more source

