5 Innovative Applications of Soft Robotics
Soft robots differ from industrial or collaborative robots in the fact that their construction is made of soft and malleable materials. Its construction is very different from any other form of robot, and similarly, soft robots perform very different functions.
For the most part, soft robots are still in the early stages of development, with the first soft robot developed in 2011 by Harvard professor George Whitesides. Since then, the number and types of soft robots have exploded. While they may be a few years away from true commercial viability, they remain an exciting technology with great disruptive potential.
5 incredible types of soft robots
There are many different types of soft robots, but there are 5 diverse applications that promise to have great commercial potential.
Robotic muscles: various types of soft robots are being developed to serve as robotic muscles. One of the most promising inspirations of origami. Its folded structure can lift 1,000 times its own weight and is scalable from a few millimeters to a meter long.
Climbing robots: these types of robots have potential applications ranging from the inspection and maintenance of buildings to search and rescue missions. A version of the soft climbing robots has a flexible design, much like a caterpillar, which allows you to crawl up and down in large structures. Edible Robots: This exciting creation was actually invented by a high school team in Philadelphia for the annual Soft Robotics competition. These biodegradable robots can administer medicine safely to different parts of the body.
Portable robots: these biomimetic devices can be applied to a patient undergoing physical rehabilitation. The soft robot imitates the natural movement of the body wherever it is placed, helping the patient to restore normal motor functions.
Prosthetic robots: soft robots can be used to create superior prostheses for limbs or limbs that are missing. Often, soft robotic technology is used for tweezers at the end of a prosthetic arm for a more precise and delicate grasp of objects.
Soft robots are an exciting innovation in the world of robotics. The five types of soft robots above can have the greatest commercial potential of all types of soft robots currently in development.
Unlike industrial or collaborative robots, soft robots serve a wide range of applications that are often beyond the capabilities of industrial or collaborative robots.