Design, Actuation, and Fabrication of Bio-Inspired Soft Robotics

A special issue of Biomimetics (ISSN 2313-7673). This special issue belongs to the section "Locomotion and Bioinspired Robotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2025 | Viewed by 1206

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300354, China
Interests: bio-inspired soft robots; pneumatic artificial muscles; fluid actuation and control in robots

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Co-Guest Editor
The Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
Interests: marine robotics; underwater intervention; underwater robotics; intelligent marine systems; underwater vehicles
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soft robots, primarily made of materials with elastic moduli less than 1 gigapascal, and which have good adaptability to uncertain eviroments and exhibit perfect safety in interactions with humans, are extensively used in applications such as the flexbile grasping of fragile objects, human augmentation or prostoperative rehabilitation, complex space exploration, etc. As the main method of constructing soft robots, bio-inspired design has attracted significant attention and achieved great progress. A bio-inspired soft robot is created through material selection, actuation mechanisms, and structural design, mimicking the structures, deformation patterns, and evolutionary path of natural animals and plants. For material selection, advancements in interdiscipline research promote the development of smart materials with 'embodied intelligence', which couple mechanical properties with features like programmable stiffness and proprioceptive sensing. For actuation mechanisms and structural design, bio-inspired soft robots can integrate sensing, actuation, and control patterns from nature into their architecture. The future holds the promise of more intelligent bio-hybrid robots with improved control mechanisms, potentially incorporating AI for enhanced learning and adaptability.

The objective of this Special Issue is to showcase advancements in the field of soft robotics based on bio-inspired methodologies and technologies, encompassing material selection, actuation mechanisms, and structural design. Furthermore, the exceptional capabilities of bio-inspired soft robotics can be displayed in various tasks that are challenging for traditional robots. In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Biomimetic mechanisms and design;
  • Biomimetic soft robotics;
  • Design and fabrication of bio-inpired soft actuators;
  • Material selection for soft robots;
  • Biomimetic actuation mechanism;
  • Bio-inspired sensing designs for soft robotics;
  • Applications of bio-inspired soft robotics.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jianbin Liu
Dr. Yinglong Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • soft robotics
  • biomimetics
  • soft actuators
  • flexible mechanism
  • uncertain environments

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 8323 KiB  
Article
A Symmetrical Leech-Inspired Soft Crawling Robot Based on Gesture Control
by Jiabiao Li, Ruiheng Liu, Tianyu Zhang and Jianbin Liu
Biomimetics 2025, 10(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics10010035 - 8 Jan 2025
Viewed by 836
Abstract
This paper presents a novel soft crawling robot controlled by gesture recognition, aimed at enhancing the operability and adaptability of soft robots through natural human–computer interactions. The Leap Motion sensor is employed to capture hand gesture data, and Unreal Engine is used for [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel soft crawling robot controlled by gesture recognition, aimed at enhancing the operability and adaptability of soft robots through natural human–computer interactions. The Leap Motion sensor is employed to capture hand gesture data, and Unreal Engine is used for gesture recognition. Using the UE4Duino, gesture semantics are transmitted to an Arduino control system, enabling direct control over the robot’s movements. For accurate and real-time gesture recognition, we propose a threshold-based method for static gestures and a backpropagation (BP) neural network model for dynamic gestures. In terms of design, the robot utilizes cost-effective thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film as the primary pneumatic actuator material. Through a positive and negative pressure switching circuit, the robot’s actuators achieve controllable extension and contraction, allowing for basic movements such as linear motion and directional changes. Experimental results demonstrate that the robot can successfully perform diverse motions under gesture control, highlighting the potential of gesture-based interaction in soft robotics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design, Actuation, and Fabrication of Bio-Inspired Soft Robotics)
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