Researchers at Princeton University have developed a flexible, lightweight, and energy-efficient soft robot. The robot moves without legs. 

Soft robots are made of easily deformable materials like fluids, gels, and elastomers. They can handle things of different shapes and sizes, fit into small areas, and adapt to different surfaces. 

Soft robots are inspired by nature. Animals are mostly made of soft components and use their softness to move efficiently in complex environments. 

The main body of a soft robot is often made of silicone. Silicone is versatile and can be cast into many shapes. It’s also strong and flexible, which is important for pneumatic actuation. 

Soft Robotics Inc. was founded in 2012 by Dr. George M. Whitesides of Harvard University. The company’s goal is to use soft materials and microfluidics to change how robots are made

Soft robotics has many applications, including: 

• 3D printing: Soft robots can be 3D printed to fit a patient’s exact needs. 
• Actuation mechanisms: Soft actuators allow soft robots to interact with their environment and achieve desired actuation patterns. 
• Prosthetics: Soft robots can be used to create prosthetics for people missing limbs or extremities. 
• Surgical assistance: Soft robots can assist with invasive surgeries because of their shape-changing properties. 
• Compliant minimally invasive surgical tools: Soft robotic systems can mimic muscle structure. 
• Prostheses: Soft robotics can be used to create artificial organs and tissue-mimicking active simulators for training and biomechanical studies.

Soft robots have several characteristics, including: 

• Flexibility: Soft robots are flexible and can perform complex deformations. 
• Simple structure: Soft robots have a simple structure. 
• Safety: Soft robots are safe. 
• Speed of response: Soft actuators have a fast response time. 
• Portability: Soft actuators are portable. 
• Stress and strain performance: Soft actuators can match or exceed human muscles in stress and strain performance. 

Soft robots are used in many fields, including: 

• Biomedicine 
• Military reconnaissance 
• Micro space exploration 
• Exoskeletons

Here are some types of actuators used in soft robots: 

• Pneumatic actuation This is the most popular type of actuation for soft robots. It’s low cost, has a fast response time, and is easy to implement. 
• Fluidic actuators These are common because they’re easy to make, can deliver large forces and strokes, and are safe. 
• Elastomer actuators These are useful for biomedical applications, such as hand prostheses. 
• Dielectric elastomer actuators These are based on the principle that some materials can deform in response to electricity. They’re suitable for large strain structures. 
• Electrothermal actuators These use electrical current to generate Joule heating for expansion or contraction. 

Other types of actuators include: 

• Shape memory alloys 
• Shape memory polymers 
• Twisted fibers and yarns

Robotics is a field of engineering and computer science that involves designing, building, and operating machines that can perform tasks for humans. Robots are usually made of hard materials like metals, plastics, and composites. They are designed to perform tasks that are either too dangerous or too repetitive for humans. 

Soft robotics is a subfield of robotics that focuses on designing, controlling, and building robots made of compliant materials. Soft robots are made of materials like silicones, elastomers, and other polymers. They are designed to mimic the physical characteristics of living organisms. Soft robots can deform, bend, and stretch, which allows them to interact with and adapt to their environment

McKibben presented the first compliant actuators in 1961, which marked the beginning of soft robotics. The McKibben artificial muscle has been used in many robot designs. 

Other people who have contributed to soft robotics include: 

• Shimachi and Matumoto: Reported on soft fingers in 1990 
• Suzumori et al.: Published a flexible microactuator made of silicone rubber in 1991 
• Whitesides Research Group: Created an X-shaped soft robot made of silicon that can survive under a car tire 
• Juncal Arbelaiz: Investigates how systems can adapt to their environments 
• Etienne Jambon-Puillet: Developed a computer simulation of a system 

Harvard University researchers created the first autonomous, untethered, entirely soft robot, nicknamed the “octobot”.

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