Su Jiangtao, He Ke, Li Yanzhen, Tu Jiaqi, Chen Xiaodong
Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
Chem Rev. 2025 Jun 25;125(12):5848-5977. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00906. Epub 2025 Mar 31.
Sensorimotor functions, the seamless integration of sensing, decision-making, and actuation, are fundamental for robots to interact with their environments. Inspired by biological systems, the incorporation of soft materials and devices into robotics holds significant promise for enhancing these functions. However, current robotics systems often lack the autonomy and intelligence observed in nature due to limited sensorimotor integration, particularly in flexible sensing and actuation. As the field progresses toward soft, flexible, and stretchable materials, developing such materials and devices becomes increasingly critical for advanced robotics. Despite rapid advancements individually in soft materials and flexible devices, their combined applications to enable sensorimotor capabilities in robots are emerging. This review addresses this emerging field by providing a comprehensive overview of soft materials and devices that enable sensorimotor functions in robots. We delve into the latest development in soft sensing technologies, actuation mechanism, structural designs, and fabrication techniques. Additionally, we explore strategies for sensorimotor control, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), and practical application across various domains such as healthcare, augmented and virtual reality, and exploration. By drawing parallels with biological systems, this review aims to guide future research and development in soft robots, ultimately enhancing the autonomy and adaptability of robots in unstructured environments.
感觉运动功能，即传感、决策和驱动的无缝集成，是机器人与环境交互的基础。受生物系统启发，将软材料和设备融入机器人技术有望显著增强这些功能。然而，由于感觉运动集成有限，特别是在柔性传感和驱动方面，当前的机器人系统往往缺乏自然界中所观察到的自主性和智能。随着该领域朝着柔软、灵活和可拉伸材料发展，开发此类材料和设备对先进机器人技术变得越来越关键。尽管软材料和柔性设备各自取得了快速进展，但它们在机器人中实现感觉运动能力的联合应用正在兴起。本综述通过全面概述能够实现机器人感觉运动功能的软材料和设备来探讨这一新兴领域。我们深入研究软传感技术、驱动机制、结构设计和制造技术的最新发展。此外，我们探索感觉运动控制策略、人工智能（AI）的集成以及在医疗保健、增强现实和虚拟现实以及探索等各个领域的实际应用。通过与生物系统进行类比，本综述旨在指导软机器人的未来研发，最终提高机器人在非结构化环境中的自主性和适应性。
