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World of Soft Actuators and Soft Robotics
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World of Soft Actuators and Soft Robotics

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Robotics and Automation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 4878

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jihong Yan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Interests: soft robots; water surface motion bionic robots; robots and equipment for extreme environment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soft robots composed of soft materials have become a research hotspot in robotics due to their large deformations, excellent adaptability, and safe interactions. They show broad application prospects in prosthetics, medical treatment, industrial lines, agricultural harvesting, and deep-sea exploration. In recent years, new methods and technologies related to the actuation, perception, variable stiffness, and other functions of soft robots have emerged, involving innovations in the design, manufacturing and intelligent control of soft materials and structures. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to gather the latest interdisciplinary research achievements from materials science, mechanical engineering, biomechanics, bionics, and computer science to promote the development of soft robot technology. We welcome submissions related to the following:

  • Design, fabrication, and modeling of soft materials;
  • Soft actuators;
  • Flexible sensors;
  • Variable-stiffness structures;
  • Bionic design of soft robots;
  • Modeling, simulation, and control of soft robots;
  • Multi-functional integration of soft robots;
  • Application cases of soft robots.

Prof. Dr. Jihong Yan
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. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 robots
  • soft materials
  • soft actuators
  • flexible sensors
  • variable stiffness
  • multiple function

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 7910 KiB  
Article
Nonlinear Dynamics of an Electromagnetically Actuated Cantilever Beam Under Harmonic External Excitation
by Nicolae Herisanu, Bogdan Marinca and Vasile Marinca
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(22), 10335; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142210335 - 10 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1849
Abstract
The present work is devoted to the study of nonlinear vibrations of an electromagnetically actuated cantilever beam subject to harmonic external excitation. The soft actuator that controls the vibratory motion of such components of a robotic structure led to a strongly nonlinear governing [...] Read more.
The present work is devoted to the study of nonlinear vibrations of an electromagnetically actuated cantilever beam subject to harmonic external excitation. The soft actuator that controls the vibratory motion of such components of a robotic structure led to a strongly nonlinear governing differential equation, which was solved in this work by using a highly accurate technique, namely the Optimal Auxiliary Functions Method. Comparisons between the results obtained using our original approach with those of numerical integration show the efficiency and reliability of our procedure, which can be applied to give an explicit analytical approximate solution in two cases: the nonresonant case and the nearly primary resonance. Our technique is effective, simple, easy to use, and very accurate by means of only the first iteration. On the other hand, we present an analysis of the local stability of the model using Routh–Hurwitz criteria and the eigenvalues of the Jacobian matrix. Global stability is analyzed by means of Lyapunov’s direct method and LaSalle’s invariance principle. For the first time, the Lyapunov function depends on the approximate solution obtained using OAFM. Also, Pontryagin’s principle with respect to the control variable is applied in the construction of the Lyapunov function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue World of Soft Actuators and Soft Robotics)
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10 pages, 1984 KiB  
Article
Effects of Air Gaps on the Output Force Density in COMSOL Simulations of Biomimetic Artificial Muscles
by Michelangelo A. Coltelli and Emil P. Kartalov
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(21), 9715; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14219715 - 24 Oct 2024
Viewed by 925
Abstract
This paper presents a novel approach to enhancing the performance of artificial muscle fibers by incorporating air gaps within the bulk dielectric material. Building on previous models, the COMSOL simulation was developed to investigate the effects of varying the inner ligament width (‘w3’) [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel approach to enhancing the performance of artificial muscle fibers by incorporating air gaps within the bulk dielectric material. Building on previous models, the COMSOL simulation was developed to investigate the effects of varying the inner ligament width (‘w3’) and air gap width (‘w2’) on force production. Results indicated that an air gap width of 50 µm is optimal, balancing improved force output with manufacturability constraints. A longitudinal array sweep was conducted to determine force density saturation in long fiber arrays, comparing the gap model with a traditional non-gap model. The gap model demonstrated superior performance, achieving higher force densities and better energy efficiency. The inclusion of air gaps reduced overall weight, enhanced flexibility, and improved the force-to-weight ratio, making the design particularly suitable for applications in prosthetics, exoskeletons, and soft robotics. These findings suggest that the air gap design represents a significant advancement in artificial muscle technology, offering a practical and efficient solution for various biomedical and robotic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue World of Soft Actuators and Soft Robotics)
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Review

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22 pages, 1997 KiB  
Review
Recent Improvements in the Development of Soft Grippers Capable of Dexterous Manipulation
by Manuela Otti, Daniel Monsalve, Frédéric Chapelle, Chedli Bouzgarrou and Yuri Lapusta
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(1), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15010275 - 30 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1334
Abstract
Soft grippers perform various handling tasks using passive conformability. This article reviews the improvements in their capabilities of dexterous manipulations, including how they achieve dexterity and how their performance could be evaluated. This article particularly points out the correlations between potential and real [...] Read more.
Soft grippers perform various handling tasks using passive conformability. This article reviews the improvements in their capabilities of dexterous manipulations, including how they achieve dexterity and how their performance could be evaluated. This article particularly points out the correlations between potential and real dexterity, and the relationship between the space of degrees of freedom and the corresponding dexterity level. Our main contribution is the proposition of a uniform framework for the characterization of soft grippers and their performance. We first present an introduction to soft grippers and those capable of in-hand manipulation. We emphasize their hybridization by combining soft and rigid materials or using several active materials. Next, we define and discuss the manipulation tasks and how to achieve dexterity, making a distinction between stable grasping and stable in-hand manipulation. We finally discuss the means to achieve assessment and how the performance can be evaluated, and we develop a general exploitable approach for characterizing soft grippers and their dexterous performance based on their architecture, DOF space, and physical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue World of Soft Actuators and Soft Robotics)
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