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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 19, 2025

Four-Dimensional Printing of Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel-Based Soft Robots

Four-Dimensional Printing of Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel-Based Soft Robots

Published on: January 13, 2023

Multifunctional Untethered Soft Machines Driven by 4D Printed Electrically Responsive Actuators.

Yuliang Xia¹, Tong Mu¹, Jianglong Guo²

¹Center for Composite Materials and Structures, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), No. 2 Yikuang Street, P.O. Box 3011, Harbin 150080, People's Republic of China.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

|June 6, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a lightweight, rapid, untethered soft robot using 4D printed liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) actuators. This innovative robot achieves high performance with low voltage, offering enhanced autonomy and safer interactions.

Keywords:

4D printing liquid crystalline elastomer actuator soft crawling soft grasping untethered soft robotics

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Area of Science:

Robotics
Materials Science
Soft Matter Physics

Background:

Untethered robots offer greater autonomy than tethered systems.
There is a need for multifunctional, lightweight, rapid, and low-voltage soft robots with enhanced adaptability and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer an untethered soft robot by integrating 4D printed liquid crystalline elastomer (LCE) actuators with electronics.
To develop a compact, lightweight, and rapid LCE soft robot with adjustable properties and improved performance.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of an LCE artificial muscle actuator using a modified LCE sandwiched between a polyimide heating film and silicone adhesive.
Integration of LCE actuators with associated electronics to create an untethered soft robot.
Characterization of LCE actuator properties, including adjustable transition temperatures (39-46 °C) and modulus (0.61-2.57 MPa), and propulsive forces (13.7 MPa).

Main Results:

Development of the lightest (9.87g) and quickest (0.28 body length/min) untethered electric-driven LCE robot.
Achieved the lowest cost of transportation (CoT = 7) among comparable LCE robots.
Demonstrated the robot's capability for grasping and obstacle crossing on challenging terrains.

Conclusions:

The developed LCE soft robot represents a significant advancement in untethered robotic systems.
The robot's unique properties, including lightweight design, speed, and adaptability, make it suitable for various applications.
This work highlights the potential of 4D printed LCE actuators for creating next-generation autonomous soft robots.