Progresses in Tensile, Torsional, and Multifunctional Soft Actuators

Abstract Soft actuators have received intensive attention in the fields of soft robots, sensors, intelligent control, artificial intelligence, and visual intelligence. By combination of tensile and torsional deformations, different types of motions can be realized, such as bending, rolling, and jumping. Soft robotics need soft actuators, such as artificial muscles to lift or move objects to perform some work. Additionally, actuation integrated with functions of sensing, signal transmission, and control is also needed in the development of advanced intelligent systems, which further stimulates the requirement of multifunctional actuators. Here different types of soft actuators that can perform tensile and torsional actuations are summarized, including twisted fiber artificial muscles, shape memory polymers, hydrogels, liquid crystal polymers, electrochemical actuators with conducting polymers, and some natural materials. Examples are also included regarding the bending or rolling deformations of the actuators for lifting objects. Then, recent interesting reports about multifunctional soft actuators combined with sensing and signal transmission performances, are summarized. Last, a summary of different ways to realize tensile and torsional actuations, different materials, and designs for lifting or moving objects, as well as construction of multifunctional actuators with actuation and sensing functions is provided.