Issue 7, 2024

Towards high performance and durable soft tactile actuators

Abstract

Soft actuators are gaining significant attention due to their ability to provide realistic tactile sensations in various applications. However, their soft nature makes them vulnerable to damage from external factors, limiting actuation stability and device lifespan. The susceptibility to damage becomes higher with these actuators often in direct contact with their surroundings to generate tactile feedback. Upon onset of damage, the stability or repeatability of the device will be undermined. Eventually, when complete failure occurs, these actuators are disposed of, accumulating waste and driving the consumption of natural resources. This emphasizes the need to enhance the durability of soft tactile actuators for continued operation. This review presents the principles of tactile feedback of actuators, followed by a discussion of the mechanisms, advancements, and challenges faced by soft tactile actuators to realize high actuation performance, categorized by their driving stimuli. Diverse approaches to achieve durability are evaluated, including self-healing, damage resistance, self-cleaning, and temperature stability for soft actuators. In these sections, current challenges and potential material designs are identified, paving the way for developing durable soft tactile actuators.

Graphical abstract: Towards high performance and durable soft tactile actuators

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
17 11 2023
First published
27 2 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Soc. Rev., 2024,53, 3485-3535

Towards high performance and durable soft tactile actuators

M. W. M. Tan, H. Wang, D. Gao, P. Huang and P. S. Lee, Chem. Soc. Rev., 2024, 53, 3485 DOI: 10.1039/D3CS01017A

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