Multimodal Field-Driven Actuation in Bioinspired Robots: An Emerging Taxonomy and Roadmap Towards Hybrid...

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Mechanical Engineering
• Biomimetic Systems
• Materials Science

Background:

• Rigid-flexible coupled robots offer advantages in unstructured environments.
• A systematic analysis of actuation strategies across physical fields is lacking.
• Existing literature lacks a comprehensive taxonomy for these robots.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel taxonomy for field-controlled actuation pathways in rigid-flexible robots.
• To critically examine over 100 studies using a six-dimensional framework.
• To provide a roadmap for developing next-generation robots with embodied intelligence.

Main Methods:

• Developed a taxonomy based on field-controlled evolutionary pathways: mechanical, electromagnetic, chemical, and biohybrid.
• Conducted a critical review of over 100 seminal studies.
• Utilized a six-dimensional framework covering design, dynamics, and performance.
• Employed radar chart analysis to assess trade-offs.

Main Results:

• Hybrid field integration (e.g., pneumatic-chemical) improves grasping robustness by 40% in cluttered environments.
• Biohybrid actuators demonstrate over 90% motion similarity to biological models.
• Phase-transition materials enable adaptive stiffness tuning (0.1-5 N·mm⁻¹) for medical applications.
• Identified fundamental trade-offs between energy efficiency, response speed, and scalability.

Conclusions:

• Multi-field synergies and bio-inspired adaptability are crucial for next-generation robots.
• The proposed taxonomy provides a clear roadmap for future research and development.
• Hybrid actuation strategies significantly enhance robot performance and adaptability.