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Soft touchless sensors and touchless sensing for soft robots.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


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Authors

Sirithunge, Chapa 
Wang, Huijiang 
Iida, Fumiya 

Abstract

Soft robots are characterized by their mechanical compliance, making them well-suited for various bio-inspired applications. However, the challenge of preserving their flexibility during deployment has necessitated using soft sensors which can enhance their mobility, energy efficiency, and spatial adaptability. Through emulating the structure, strategies, and working principles of human senses, soft robots can detect stimuli without direct contact with soft touchless sensors and tactile stimuli. This has resulted in noteworthy progress within the field of soft robotics. Nevertheless, soft, touchless sensors offer the advantage of non-invasive sensing and gripping without the drawbacks linked to physical contact. Consequently, the popularity of soft touchless sensors has grown in recent years, as they facilitate intuitive and safe interactions with humans, other robots, and the surrounding environment. This review explores the emerging confluence of touchless sensing and soft robotics, outlining a roadmap for deployable soft robots to achieve human-level dexterity.

Description

Peer reviewed: True

Keywords

noncontact sensors, soft robots, soft sensors, stretchable electronics, touchless sensing

Journal Title

Front Robot AI

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2296-9144
2296-9144

Volume Title

11

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA
Sponsorship
EPSRC (EP/T00519X/1)
European Commission Horizon 2020 (H2020) Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions (101034337)
Highways England Company (Unknown)
European Commission Horizon 2020 (H2020) Marie Sk?odowska-Curie actions (860108)