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Updated: May 3, 2026

Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Published on: November 14, 2015
Wearable and Implantable Soft Robots
Shukun Yin1, Dickson R Yao1, Yu Song1
1Andrew and Peggy Cherng Department of Medical Engineering, Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, United States.
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Soft robotics presents innovative solutions across different scales. The flexibility and mechanical characteristics of soft robots make them particularly appealing for wearable and implantable applications. The scale and level of invasiveness required for soft robots depend on the extent of human interaction. This review provides a comprehensive overview of wearable and implantable soft robots, including applications in rehabilitation, assistance, organ simulation, surgical tools, and therapy. We discuss challenges such as the complexity of fabrication processes, the integration of responsive materials, and the need for robust control strategies, while focusing on advances in materials, actuation and sensing mechanisms, and fabrication techniques. Finally, we discuss the future outlook, highlighting key challenges and proposing potential solutions.

