Soft Actuators for Soft Robotic Applications: A Review
Nazek El‐Atab, Rishabh Mishra, Fhad Al‐Modaf, Lana Joharji, Aljohara A. Alsharif, Haneen Alamoudi, Marlon Diaz, Nadeem Qaiser, Muhammad M. Hussain
Abstract
Soft robotics technologies are paving the way toward robotic abilities which are vital for a wide range of applications, including manufacturing, manipulation, gripping, human–machine interaction, locomotion, and more. An essential component in a soft robot is the soft actuator which provides the system with a deformable body and allows it to interact with the environment to achieve a desired actuation pattern, such as locomotion. This Review article aims to provide researchers interested in the soft robotics field with a reference guide about the various state‐of‐the‐art soft actuation methodologies that are developed with a wide range of stimuli including light, heat, applied electric and magnetic fields with a focus on their various applications in soft robotics. The underlying principles of the soft actuators are discussed with a focus on the resulting motion complexities, deformations, and multi‐functionalities. Finally, various promising applications and examples of the different soft actuators are discussed in addition to their further development potential.