Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Farshad Oveissi, David F. Fletcher, Fariba Dehghani, Sina Naficy
Summary: This article reviews recent developments in hydrogel-based actuators and soft artificial muscles, discusses the fundamental principles behind the actuation of hydrogels, highlights the design details and properties of different tough hydrogel systems, and provides a brief conclusion on the remaining challenges in this field.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiangxin Wang, Dace Gao, Pooi See Lee
Summary: Artificial muscles are key components of smart and interactive soft robotic systems, offering shape morphing, manipulation, and mobility capabilities. Recent advancements have led to impressive specific power output and dexterous behavior, paving the way for integration with soft electronic devices in future robotic systems.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dezhi Yang, Miao Feng, Guoying Gu
Summary: This work proposes a class of lightweight fabric-lattice artificial muscles (FAMs) that can be pneumatically actuated with large contraction ratios and considerable output forces. These FAMs can be configured for various high-performance soft robotic applications, such as powerful robotic elbow, assistive shoulder exosuit, and adaptive soft gripper.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fan Wang, Qinchuan Li, Jong-Oh Park, Shaohui Zheng, Eunpyo Choi
Summary: A high-performance low-cost bioartificial muscle based on functional carboxylated bacterial cellulose and polypyrrole nanoparticles has been developed, demonstrating large bending strain, long actuated bending durability, broad frequency bandwidth, fast response time, high energy density, and high power density. Various bioinspired applications have been realized, offering a viable means for developing high-performance bioartificial muscles for next-generation soft bioelectronics.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Siyi Xu, Yufeng Chen, Nak-seung P. Hyun, Kaitlyn P. Becker, Robert J. Wood
Summary: An electrically powered soft valve for hydraulic actuators has been developed using ultrahigh-power density dynamic dielectric elastomer actuators, enabling effective control of pressure and flow rate with rapid response time. These valves can adjust flow rate based on driving voltage, allowing independent control of different hydraulic actuators.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Philipp Rothemund, Nicholas Kellaris, Shane K. Mitchell, Eric Acome, Christoph Keplinger
Summary: Future robots and intelligent systems will autonomously navigate and collaborate closely with humans by imitating biological organisms, using soft materials, and high-performance artificial muscles, surpassing the current physical limitations.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Phillip Won, Kyun Kyu Kim, Hyeonseok Kim, Jung Jae Park, Inho Ha, Jaeho Shin, Jinwook Jung, Hyunmin Cho, Jinhyeong Kwon, Habeom Lee, Seung Hwan Ko
Summary: The emergence of soft robotics has significantly improved robots, wearables, and manufacturing processes by utilizing fully soft-bodied systems that interact safely with various surfaces while offering excellent mechanical compliance. Recent advancements in transparent soft actuators and sensors have led to the development of robots that can function visually and mechanically unhindered, expanding their applications in different fields. Imperceptible soft robotics, consisting of optically transparent hardware components, is expected to be a key focus in future research, including imperceptible transparent soft robotics and camouflage skins for robots.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chunlei Chang, Le Zhao, Zichen Song, Yan Zhou, Shihui Yu
Summary: This study presents a transparent electrothermal soft actuator designed and manufactured by sandwiching copper nanowires between two flexible substrates with different thermal expansion characteristics. The bending characteristics of the soft actuator were improved by studying the heating performance of heaters with different widths and strain gauges under different voltages. The fabricated soft actuator can produce a 90-degree bend at a low voltage and is applied in biomimetic robotics for tasks like picking and placing fine objects.
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiding Zhong, Wei Tang, Chao Zhang, Zhongdong Jiao, Dongming Wu, Weiting Liu, Huayong Yang, Jun Zou
Summary: Soft robots have unique advantages, but the development of multifunctional, programmable, and high-performance soft actuators remains challenging. This study introduces a class of programmable thermochromic soft actuators that can deform greatly and change colors through liquid-vapor phase transitions and reversible reactions. These actuators can respond to multiple stimuli and have broad applications in wearable devices.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mahdi Ilami, Hosain Bagheri, Reza Ahmed, E. Olga Skowronek, Hamid Marvi
Summary: Biological systems inspire advancements in soft robotics, leading to the development of bioinspired soft actuators and sensors; this review surveys the progress in these fields between 2017 and 2020, focusing on the materials used in their design.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Robotics
Shuguang Li, Samer A. Awale, Katharine E. Bacher, Thomas J. Buchner, Cosimo Della Santina, Robert J. Wood, Daniela Rus
Summary: Industrial robots are achieving remarkable advancements in production lines today, but there is a clear safety gap between these powerful machines and humans. Soft robotics research offers a promising solution for safe interaction between humans and robots in various environments and tasks.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jingjing Li, Kaiqing Yu, Ge Wang, Wenhui Gu, Zhigang Xia, Xiang Zhou, Zunfeng Liu
Summary: This article focuses on the jumping mechanisms of soft actuators made from various soft smart materials and powered by different stimulus sources. The challenges and prospects of soft jumping actuators are discussed with the hope of contributing to their further development and practical applications.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Ye Tian, Yu-Tao Li, He Tian, Yi Yang, Tian-Ling Ren
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive review on recent progress of soft electrothermal actuators through five sections: device design, materials, properties, fabrication methods, applications, and prospects. It emphasizes the development towards increasing electrothermal efficiency and response speed, encouraging achievement of higher performance and broader applications in the future.
Review
Engineering, Mechanical
Matthew Craddock, Emmanuel Augustine, Sam Konerman, Minchul Shin
Summary: This paper provides an overview of recent developments in the field of biorobotics, including advancements in materials and new approaches to artificial muscles. It discusses innovations from the fields of nano and microtechnology, as well as soft robotics, and summarizes the progress made in the past few years and future improvement possibilities for artificial muscles.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sophia Eristoff, Sang Yup Kim, Lina Sanchez-Botero, Trevor Buckner, Osman Dogan Yirmibesoglu, Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio
Summary: This study introduces a new type of soft actuator made of discrete grains, which have a hyperelastic shell and multiple solvent cores. These grains rapidly expand through liquid-to-gas phase change and can be used for micro-actuation as well as meso- and macroscale actuation. The grains can also be suspended in a carrier liquid for printable soft actuators.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Mengmeng Guo, Na Luo, Yueling Bai, Zhenggang Xue, Qingmin Hu, Jiaqiang Xu
Summary: A porous heterostructure WO3-C/In2O3 was designed and prepared for a miniature H2 sensor, which showed higher response value, lower operating temperature, fast response-recovery speed, and low limit of detection.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Feng Hu, Hui Hu, Yuting Li, Xiaohui Wang, Xiaowen Shi
Summary: Arsenic contamination in water bodies is a significant health risk. This study developed a chitosan-catechol modified electrode for rapid and accurate detection of trace amounts of arsenic. The modified electrode demonstrated good detection capability and resistance to ionic interference, making it suitable for in situ detection.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yantao Zhang, Qian Liu, Tao Tian, Chunhua Xu, Pengli Yang, Lianju Ma, Yi Hou, Hui Zhou, Yongjun Gan
Summary: In this study, a lysosome-targeting buffering fluorogenic probe (Lyso-BFP) was designed and synthesized, demonstrating excellent photostability, pH specificity, and responsiveness to lysosomal acidification in living cells. The performance of Lyso-BFP in pH sensing was attributed to the inhibition of the photo-induced electron transfer process. Lyso-BFP allowed for wash-free imaging and long-term real-time monitoring of lysosome pH changes based on its off-on fluorescence behavior and buffer strategy.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Wei Cai, Wenbo Sun, Jiayue Wang, Xiaokui Huo, Xudong Cao, Xiangge Tian, Xiaochi Ma, Lei Feng
Summary: In this study, a near-infrared fluorescent probe HCBG was developed for imaging of alpha-GLC. HCBG exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards alpha-GLC in complex bio-samples, and showed good cell permeability for in situ real-time imaging. Through the high-throughput screening system established by HCBG, a natural alpha-GLC inhibitor was successfully isolated and identified. This study provides a novel fluorescence visualization tool for discovering and exploring the biological functions of diabetes-related gut microbiota, and a high-throughput screening approach for alpha-GLC inhibitor.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Trey W. Pittman, Xi Zhang, Chamindie Punyadeera, Charles S. Henry
Summary: Heart failure is a growing epidemic and a significant clinical and public health problem. Researchers have developed a portable and affordable diagnostic device for heart failure that can be used at the point-of-care, providing a valid alternative to current diagnostics approaches.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Anders O. Tjell, Barbara Jud, Roland Schaller-Ammann, Torsten Mayr
Summary: An optical hydrogen peroxide sensor based on catalytic degradation and the detection of produced oxygen is presented. The sensor offers higher resolution and better sensitivity at lower H2O2 concentrations. By removing O2 from the sample solution, a more sensitive O2 sensor can be used for measurement. The sensor has been successfully applied in a flow-through cell to measure H2O2 concentration in different flow rates.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Seong Jae Kim, Ji-hun Jeong, Gaabhin Ryu, Yoon Sick Eom, Sanha Kim
Summary: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a high-sensitivity, label-free detection method with various analytical applications. Researchers have developed a hydrophobic SERS substrate based on engineered carbon nanotube arrays (CNT-SERS) and studied the role of structural design at both micro and nanoscales. The substrate demonstrated controlled self-enrichment capability and enhanced sensitivity, with a significant increase in the SERS signal. The study also proposed a theoretical model and a concentration strategy inspired by plants for analyte deposition on microarrays.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Dan Zhao, Renjun Jiang, Xiaoqiang Liu, Subbiah Alwarappan
Summary: In this study, a novel ternary composite material was constructed by assembling cerium vanadate nanorods on reduced graphene oxide-microcrystalline cellulose nanosheets, and it was used for real-time monitoring of the concentration of superoxide anions in vivo. The ternary composite showed excellent conductivity, large surface area, and abundant active sites, leading to a wider linear range, high sensitivity, low detection limit, and fast response time for superoxide anion detection.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tengfei Wang, Liwen Wang, Guang Wu, Dating Tian
Summary: In this study, a covalent organic framework material TaTp-COF with porous and uniform spheres was successfully prepared via hydrothermal reaction, and it was found to significantly enhance the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of berberine. The unique emission properties of berberine on TaTp-COF were studied and utilized for the sensitive detection of berberine.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lin Li, Yilei Ding, Lei Xu, Shuoran Chen, Guoliang Dai, Pengju Han, Lixin Lu, Changqing Ye, Yanlin Song
Summary: In this study, a novel TTI based on a ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor is designed, which has the advantages of high accuracy and low cost. Experimental and theoretical investigations confirm its pH responsiveness and demonstrate its good sensitivity and reliability. By monitoring the total volatile basic nitrogen, this TTI can accurately predict food spoilage and can be adaptively modified for different types of food. The TTI based on this nanosensor enables visual monitoring of food quality.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Fangju Chen, Xueting Wang, Wei Chen, Chenwen Shao, Yong Qian
Summary: Lung cancer is the second most common malignant tumor worldwide. Drug resistance in lung cancer leads to treatment failure and recurrence in majority of patients. This study developed a fluorescent prodrug that can be activated in cancer cells to release drugs, and its signal can be tracked by imaging. It shows a unique autophagy-driven ferroptosis effect, indicating its potential for targeting drug-resistant cancer cells.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Weichao Li, Qiming Yuan, Zhangcheng Xia, Xiaoxue Ma, Lifang He, Ling Jin, Xiangfeng Chu, Kui Zhang
Summary: This study developed a high-performance gas sensor for formaldehyde detection by modifying ZnSnO3 with ZnO QDs and SnO2 QDs. The modified sensor showed improved sensing response and lower working temperature. The presence of ZnO QDs formed rich heterojunctions, increased surface area, and provided oxygen deficiency for formaldehyde sensing reaction, thus enhancing the sensor performance. This research provides an alternative method to enhance the sensing properties of MOS by QDs modification.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Joung-Il Moon, Eun Jung Choi, Younju Joung, Jin-Woo Oh, Sang-Woo Joo, Jaebum Choo
Summary: A novel nanoplasmonic substrate was developed for biomedical applications, which showed strong hot spots for detecting biomarkers at low concentrations. The substrate, called AuNPs@M13, was made by immobilizing 60 nm gold nanoparticles onto the surface of an M13 bacteriophage scaffold. It demonstrated higher sensitivity and lower limit of detection compared to commercially available assays.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Ning Li, Ya Zhang, Ying Xu, Xiaofang Liu, Jian Chen, Mei Yang, Changjun Hou, Danqun Huo
Summary: The molecular subtype of breast cancer guides treatment and drug selection. Invasive tests can promote cancer cell metastasis, so the development of high-performance, low-cost diagnostic tools for cancer prognosis is crucial. Liquid biopsy techniques enable noninvasive, real-time, dynamic, multicomponent, quantitative, and long-term observations at the cellular, genetic, and molecular levels. A Cu-Zr metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoenzyme with monatomic Cu attachment has been synthesized and proven to have high catalytic performance. The sensor constructed using this nanoenzyme shows potential for accurate classification of breast cancer serum samples.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jeongmin Kim, Hyemin Kim, Seunghyun Park, Hyeonaug Hong, Yong Jae Kim, Jiyong Lee, Jaeho Kim, Seung-Woo Cho, Wonhyoung Ryu
Summary: This study presents a method to fabricate independently functioning microneedle (MN) electrodes with narrow intervals for high precision electrochemical sensing. The optimized mixture of photocurable polymer and single-wall carbon nanotubes was used to mold single composite MNs, which were then attached to pre-patterned electrodes. Plasma etching and electropolymerization were performed to enhance the electrochemical activity, and Prussian blue and glucose oxidase were electrodeposited on the MNs for glucose detection. The MN electrodes showed good sensitivity and linearity, and the feasibility of glucose detection was demonstrated in an in vivo mouse study.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2024)