Issue 44, 2021

Recent progress of biomimetic motions—from microscopic micro/nanomotors to macroscopic actuators and soft robotics

Abstract

Motion is a basic behavioral attribute of organisms, and it is a behavioral response of organisms to the external environment and internal state changes. Materials with switchable mechanical properties are widespread in living organisms and play crucial roles in the motion of organisms. Therefore, significant efforts have been made toward mimicking such architectures and motion behaviors by making full use of the properties of stimulus-responsive materials to design smart materials/machines with specific functions. In recent years, the biomimetic motions based on micro/nanomotors, actuators and soft robots constructed from smart response materials have been developed gradually. However, a comprehensive discussion on various categories of biomimetic motions in this field is still missing. This review aims to provide such a panoramic overview. From nano-to macroscales, we summarize various biomimetic motions based on micro/nanomotors, actuators and soft robotics. For each biomimetic motion, we discuss the driving modes and the key functions. The challenges and opportunities of biomimetic motions are also discussed. With rapidly increasing innovation, advanced, intelligent and multifunctional biomimetic motions based on micro/nanomotors, actuators and soft robotics will certainly bring profound impacts and changes for human life in the near future.

Graphical abstract: Recent progress of biomimetic motions—from microscopic micro/nanomotors to macroscopic actuators and soft robotics

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
29 Jun 2021
Accepted
05 Aug 2021
First published
11 Aug 2021
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

RSC Adv., 2021,11, 27406-27419

Recent progress of biomimetic motions—from microscopic micro/nanomotors to macroscopic actuators and soft robotics

H. Zeng, Y. Wang, T. Jiang, H. Xia, X. Gu and H. Chen, RSC Adv., 2021, 11, 27406 DOI: 10.1039/D1RA05021D

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