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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Rod-based Fabrication of Customizable Soft Robotic Pneumatic Gripper Devices for Delicate Tissue Manipulation
Published on: August 2, 2016
Soft touchless sensors and touchless sensing for soft robots
Chapa Sirithunge1, Huijiang Wang1, Fumiya Iida1
1Bio-Inspired Robotics Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Soft robots are characterized by their mechanical compliance, making them well-suited for various bio-inspired applications. However, the challenge of preserving their flexibility during deployment has necessitated using soft sensors which can enhance their mobility, energy efficiency, and spatial adaptability. Through emulating the structure, strategies, and working principles of human senses, soft robots can detect stimuli without direct contact with soft touchless sensors and tactile stimuli. This has resulted in noteworthy progress within the field of soft robotics. Nevertheless, soft, touchless sensors offer the advantage of non-invasive sensing and gripping without the drawbacks linked to physical contact. Consequently, the popularity of soft touchless sensors has grown in recent years, as they facilitate intuitive and safe interactions with humans, other robots, and the surrounding environment. This review explores the emerging confluence of touchless sensing and soft robotics, outlining a roadmap for deployable soft robots to achieve human-level dexterity.
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