About this Research Topic
Technology that supports the advancement of robotics is coming out of many of the research labs today, which focus on creating new robotics structures that are soft, not rigid – blending together soft materials science and robotics to create new types of robots that enhance the autonomous operation and human-robot interaction. In natural environments and human-centric operations where safety and adaptability to uncertainty are fundamental requirements, soft robots may serve as a better alternative to rigid robots: they can conform to variable but sensitive environments, can adaptively move, manipulate and grasp unknown objects varying in size and shape and their soft condition allows them to squeeze through confined spaces.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide a second forum to give an overview of the current research in the soft robotics community. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• design of soft robots
• modelling of soft robots
• control of soft robots
• modelling and control of variable compliance devices
• motion control of soft mechanisms
• biologically inspired models and controls for soft and hybrid soft-rigid robots
• soft robotics applications
Keywords: Soft robotics, modeling of soft robots, control of soft robots, soft robotics applications, self-healing materials in soft robotics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.