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Actuators
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Soft Actuators and Robotics—2nd Edition
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Soft Actuators and Robotics—2nd Edition

A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This special issue belongs to the section "Actuators for Robotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 2007

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Hamed Rahimi Nohooji

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Automation & Robotics Research Group, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Interests: soft robotics; reconfigurable robotics; robot control; robotic manipulation and grasping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the insightful contributions and advancements presented in our inaugural edition, this second edition of the Special Issue aims to further explore and expand the horizons of actuator technology in soft robotics, reflecting both the growing interest and rapid evolution in this field.

This Special Issue invites pioneering research and comprehensive reviews in the field of soft actuators and robotics. Our aim is to assemble a collection of articles that reflect the current state and future potential of soft robotics, a field that stands at the crossroads of material science, mechanical engineering, and computational intelligence.

The focus of this edition is on the innovative design, material advancements, and integration strategies that are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in soft robotics. Contributions that explore the development of novel soft actuators, offer insights into cutting-edge control mechanisms, or demonstrate new applications in various domains are highly encouraged.

In this edition, we particularly emphasize papers that tackle key challenges in the development and application of actuators within soft robotic systems. We seek contributions that enhance the durability, precision, and efficiency of these actuators, vital for the advancement of soft robotics. Additionally, submissions that focus on the sustainability of actuator technologies, especially those utilizing eco-friendly materials and promoting energy-efficient designs, are highly encouraged. This aligns with our continuous pursuit of innovation in the field of actuation technology.

We also welcome submissions that showcase the application of soft robotics in diverse areas such as biomedical devices, wearable technology, environmental sensing, and exploration in extreme environments. Papers that bridge the gap between theoretical advancements and practical applications, thereby contributing to the broader understanding and adoption of soft robotics, are especially valuable.

Dr. Hamed Rahimi Nohooji
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soft robotics
  • soft actuators
  • manufacturing methods in soft robotics
  • topology optimization in soft robotics
  • modeling and control of soft robotics
  • AI in soft robotics
  • soft grippers

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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19 pages, 8317 KiB  
Article
Structural Design and Kinematic Analysis of Cable-Driven Soft Robot
by Feng Wei, Kun Luo, Yeming Zhang and Jianfeng Jiang
Actuators 2024, 13(12), 497; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13120497 - 4 Dec 2024
Viewed by 703
Abstract
Continuous robots have attracted more and more attention from the robotics community due to their high degree of flexibility and pliability, and have shown great potential for application in a variety of fields. With the continuous progress of material science, control technology, and [...] Read more.
Continuous robots have attracted more and more attention from the robotics community due to their high degree of flexibility and pliability, and have shown great potential for application in a variety of fields. With the continuous progress of material science, control technology, and artificial intelligence, the performance and application range of soft robotics have been further expanded, in which the cable drive has the advantages of large workspace, high flexibility, etc. The cable-driven soft robotic arm serves as an ultra-redundant robot that can operate in cramped and confined environments. In this paper, a cable-driven soft robot based on soft continuums and a cross gimbal is presented. The kinematics of the cable-driven soft robot is modeled and the mapping relations of the kinematics are solved by the D–H method and piecewise constant curvature, and the relations between the cable length, joint angle, and pose are further derived. Finally, the motion space of the cable-driven soft robot in the three-dimensional coordinate system is obtained by MATLAB2021b, and the single-segment soft body is simulated and analyzed using ADAMS to compare the theoretical data with the actual data and verify the reliability of this structure and method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soft Actuators and Robotics—2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 8930 KiB  
Article
Design, Control, and Testing of a Multifunctional Soft Robotic Gripper
by Ana Correia, Tiago Charters, Afonso Leite, Francisco Campos, Nuno Monge, André Rocha and Mário J. G. C. Mendes
Actuators 2024, 13(12), 476; https://doi.org/10.3390/act13120476 - 25 Nov 2024
Viewed by 911
Abstract
This paper proposes a multifunctional soft robotic gripper for a Dobot robot to handle sensitive products. The gripper is based on pneumatic network (PneuNet) bending actuators. In this study, two different models of PneuNet actuators have been studied, designed, simulated, experimentally tested, and [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a multifunctional soft robotic gripper for a Dobot robot to handle sensitive products. The gripper is based on pneumatic network (PneuNet) bending actuators. In this study, two different models of PneuNet actuators have been studied, designed, simulated, experimentally tested, and validated using two different techniques (3D printing and molding) and three different materials: FilaFlex 60A (3D-printed), Elastosil M4601, and Dragonskin Fast 10 silicones (with molds). A new soft gripper design for the Dobot robot is presented, and a new design/production approach with molds is proposed to obtain the gripper’s PneuNet multifunctional actuators. It also describes a new control approach that is used to control the PneuNet actuators and gripper function, using compressed air generated by a small compressor/air pump, a pressure sensor, a mini valve, etc., and executing on a low-cost controller board—Arduino UNO. This paper presents the main simulation and experimental results of this research study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soft Actuators and Robotics—2nd Edition)
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