Advanced Mechanism Design and Sensing for Soft Robotics

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to bring together a collection of research articles focused on the integration of advanced mechanism design with innovative sensorization techniques, emphasizing key factors to enhance the performance and control of soft robots in complex environments. Soft robotics, an emerging field inspired by biological organisms, seeks to develop flexible and adaptable robotic systems.

This Special Issue will showcase novel approaches to mechanism design, highlighting lightweight, deformable structures that provide increased dexterity and compliance in soft robotic systems. These advances are complemented by state-of-the-art sensorization strategies, which incorporate diverse sensors to monitor deformation, force, and environmental interactions in real-time. The seamless integration of sensors not only improves the robots’ ability to interact with their surroundings but also enhances their autonomy and adaptability by offering more accurate feedback for control algorithms.

Critical applications of these technologies span from medical robotics, where soft robots operate safely in delicate environments, to industrial automation, where flexibility and safety are essential. This collection of articles will bridge the gap between design and functionality, offering a comprehensive framework for developing next-generation soft robotic systems capable of complex and sophisticated interactions.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome in this Special Issue. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Soft robotics technologies;
• Advanced mechanism design;
• Sensing technologies;
• Deformable structures;
• Real-time monitoring;
• Control algorithms;
• Autonomy and adaptability;
• Soft robotic performance optimization.

Dr. Martina Maselli
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.