A Survey on Soft Robot Adaptability
Implementations, Applications, and Prospects [Survey]
Zixi Chen (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna)
Di Wu (University of Southern Denmark)
Qinghua Guan (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
David Hardman (University of Cambridge)
Federico Renda (Khalifa University of Science and Technology)
Josie Hughes (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
Thomas George Thuruthel (University College London)
Cosimo Della Santina (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)
Barbara Mazzolai (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia)
Huichan Zhao (Tsinghua University)
Cesare Stefanini (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna)
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Abstract
Soft robots, compared to rigid robots, possess inherent advantages, including higher degrees of freedom, compliance, and enhanced safety, which have contributed to their increasing application across various fields. Among these benefits, adaptability is particularly noteworthy. In this article, adaptability in soft robots is categorized into external and internal adaptability. External adaptability refers to the robot’s ability to adjust, either passively or actively, to variations in environments, object properties, geometries, and task dynamics. Internal adaptability refers to the robot’s ability to cope with internal variations, such as manufacturing tolerances or material aging, and to generalize control strategies across different robots. As the field of soft robotics continues to evolve, the significance of adaptability has become increasingly pronounced. In this review article, we summarize various approaches to enhancing the adaptability of soft robots, including design, sensing, and control strategies. Additionally, we assess the impact of adaptability on applications such as surgery, wearable devices, locomotion, and manipulation. We also discuss the limitations of soft robotics adaptability and prospective directions for future research. By analyzing adaptability through the lenses of implementation, application, and challenges, this article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of this essential characteristic in soft robotics and its implications for diverse applications.