The Robotics Revolution Will Be Soft: Soft Robotics Proliferate-Along with Their Sources of Inspiration

When soft robotics first emerged, it was defined (as breakthroughs often are) by what it was that its traditional counterparts were not, i.e., soft. A decade in, the nomenclature remains apt. The pliant materials used in soft robotics are often both a defining trait and a source of advantage. Soft robots continue to make headlines with their ability to squeeze, octopus-like, through narrow crevices; change shape; and survive impacts that would crush a traditional rigid robot. They distinguish themselves from their hard counterparts with their damage resilience, complex movements, and suitability for use with the human body.