The future of robotics: Soft materials are revolutionizing technology!

The future of robotics: Soft materials are revolutionizing technology!

Robot technology has developed rapidly in the last few decades. An innovative trend is emerging that is revolutionizing the use of soft materials in robotics. Instead of steel and aluminum, modern soft robots rely on viscoelastic polymers, which have both elastic and viscous properties. These materials respond differently to force, with the mechanical behavior depending on the duration and speed of the load, such as University of Stuttgart communicates.

Viscoelastic polymers open up new design possibilities for robots by making them more flexible and adaptable. When subjected to rapid loading, they exhibit elastic behavior, while during slower movements they develop more viscous properties. The development of these materials comes with the need to create structural designs on millimeter scales. Researchers also need to understand the boundary between viscoelastic deformation and mechanical instability to realize purposefully designed structures known as mechanical metamaterials.

The Soft Revolution

The development of soft robots is part of a larger “soft revolution” that affects both robotics and electronics. This new technology could offer decisive advantages in human-computer interaction, as robots that rely on soft materials can interact better with their environment and people. The use of materials such as hydrogels, which bind water in polymer networks, is particularly promising. They offer properties that are known from nature, such as the softness of brain tissue or the toughness of tendons, reports Johannes Kepler University.

Researchers like Christoph Keplinger at the JKU are working on muscle-mimetic actuators and have made progress in self-healing mechanisms. These technologies enable the development of artificial skin equipped with sensors for haptics, temperature and humidity.

Soft materials in the context of biomedicine

The potential of soft materials also extends to biomedicine. They could play a key role in the development of artificial limbs and organs by providing mechanical support and enabling new diagnostic devices. Using biomimetic hydrogel-based electronics and robotics systems could dramatically reduce the risk of injury, especially in disaster situations.

The European Research Council has already invested 1.5 million euros in research on these topics. Developments are progressing quickly and the 21st century could go down in history as the age of soft matter, like this Magazine of the University of Mainz determines.

Academic training in the field of soft materials

To support this trend, the international master's program “Soft Matter and Materials” was launched at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Technical University of Darmstadt. The program started in the winter semester of 2023/2024 and follows an interdisciplinary approach that integrates chemistry, physics, materials science and mathematics. Professors like Regine von Klitzing and Sebastian Seiffert lead the program, which is taught entirely in English to appeal to international students.

This course could not only contribute to the training of new scientists and engineers, but also promote cooperation with industry in the Rhine-Main region, which is actively involved in research in the field of soft materials. This lays the foundation for innovative solutions that can overcome both technological and social challenges.