Biomedical Applications of Soft Robotics

Dear Colleagues,

We are inviting submissions to the Special Issue on Biomedical Applications of Soft Robotics.

Soft robotic devices have desirable traits for biomedical applications, owing to their mechanical and biological compatibility with the tissue, as well as their ability to achieve large changes in volume, shape, and stiffness. Several designs and technologies have been introduced in recent years, based on elastomeric, plastic, composite, or other materials. However, soft devices suffer from low force exertion, poor controllability, and a lack of sensing capabilities. For these to be efficiently achieved, rigid components must be used, which can alter the mechanical behavior of a soft device.

In this Special Issue, we invite submissions exploring soft robotics devices which are currently being used or have the potential to be used in biomedical applications across scales including diagnosis, prehabilitation, therapy, and post-operative monitoring. Of high interest are devices:

• Integrating soft proprioceptive, exteroceptive, and diagnostic sensors;
• Exploring soft and bidirectional actuation methodologies;
• Combining both therapeutic and diagnostic capabilities;
• Which are modular and/or scalable;
• Which are untethered, self-propelling;
• Allowing phase, shape and volume changes;
• Based on novel fabrication methodologies and new materials, aside molding;
• Working towards regulatory compliance and certification

Dr. George Mylonas
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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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.