Polymers as the Primary Fabrication Material for Soft Robotic Grippers: A Concise Review

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Materials Science
• Focus on polymer applications in robotic systems.

Background:

• Robotic components require low weight, flexibility, and durability.
• Polymer materials offer solutions for stable, flexible robotic designs, including grippers.
• This review specifically examines polymers for soft grippers in dental production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential of polymers as a primary material for soft robotic grippers.
• To analyze shape memory polymers (SMPs), their modifications, properties, and applications in robotic grippers.
• To provide an overview of recent research trends in soft polymer grippers.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of publications from Web of Science and Scopus databases.
• Keywords used: soft, gripper, polymer.
• Analysis of publication trends, document types, and subject categories.

Main Results:

• Continuous growth in publications related to soft polymer grippers.
• Highest publication increase observed in 2016; stagnant growth in 2020.
• Articles constitute the majority of publications (80.1%), primarily in Engineering and Materials Science.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms the significance and growing interest in soft polymer grippers.
• Further research is needed for both practical applications and theoretical understanding.
• Polymers, especially SMPs, are crucial for advancing soft gripper technology in robotics.