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Open research questions in Soft Robotics and Applications

55 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 257 Soft Robotics and Applications papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • Evaluating the numerical robustness of the proposed formulation. Applying the formulation to various soft robotic systems and applications. Extending the formulation to include other types of loading conditions and environmental interactions.

    A robust strain-based Cosserat rod finite element formulation for modeling soft robots · 2026 · DOI

  • The existing Cosserat rod models have limitations in terms of sensing, fabrication, environmental interaction, and numerical reliability. There is a need for a formulation that can address these challenges and provide a robust and efficient modeling framework for soft robots.

    A robust strain-based Cosserat rod finite element formulation for modeling soft robots · 2026 · DOI

  • Performance degradation of materials after prolonged use. Poor mechanical properties and difficulty in processing of certain materials. The need for sensor materials that can determine performance and adaptability.

    A Review of Advanced Materials for Flexible Tactile Sensors in Robots · 2026 · DOI

  • High degrees of freedom in multi-disk continuum robot arms. Complex mechanical coupling and non-linear force transmission. Limited predictive power of static geometric features.

    Machine learning based interaction force prediction in multi-disk continuum robot arms for human-robot collaboration · 2026 · DOI

  • Sharp turns and T-junctions in confined spaces. Limited range of motion and speed in narrow pipes. The need for active turning control to achieve further improvement in peristaltic locomotion.

    Proprioceptive Feedback Control Improves Peristaltic Turning in Confined Environments · 2026 · DOI

  • Designing a gripper that can grasp objects with unknown profiles. Achieving stable and gentle grasping. Reducing the need for high precision control.

    Design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a three-finger Fin Ray soft gripper · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had minor pressure variations within acceptable limits, influenced by air supply and material elasticity. Further testing is needed to achieve more accurate and consistent results.

    Uji Coba Sistem Pneumatik pada Hand Trainer Berbahan TPU untuk Meningkatkan Fungsi Motorik Tangan Pasien Strok · 2026 · DOI

  • Further testing is needed to achieve more accurate and consistent results. The study's findings can inform the development of similar rehabilitation devices.

    Uji Coba Sistem Pneumatik pada Hand Trainer Berbahan TPU untuk Meningkatkan Fungsi Motorik Tangan Pasien Strok · 2026 · DOI

  • Relatively little attention has been given to the effect of whole-body expansion and contraction on perceived animacy. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the influence of volumetric motion on the perception of animacy in robots.

    MOFU: Development of a MOrphing Fluffy Unit with expansion and contraction capabilities and evaluation of the animacy of its movements · 2026 · DOI

  • The elephant trunk structure demonstrates unique advantages for manoeuvring and grasping tasks in complex environments due to its flexibility and high degree of freedom. However, the ability to experiment similarly compared three-dimensional pliable motion and stiffness adjustment puts higher demands on the robotic system. My research was heavily inspired by bionics, particularly the adaptability and flexibility of an elephant's trunk to develop a soft robot. The robot is made up of 3 key innovations: a soft body construction for safe human interaction, modularity for easy assembly and repair, and a variable stiffness mechanism to enhance load bearing capacity. The system introduces a variable stiffness mechanism based on skeleton-particle coupling that enables structural stiffening under external loading. In the end-effector topic, the bionic elephant trunk robot inherits a suction cup with adsorption capabilities. Before developing this robot, I had to learn the SOLIDWORKS and KEYSHOT modeling softwares. For SOLIDWORKS, I followed tutorials on youtube and practiced designing little parts and gimmicks before I felt ready to start my formal robot designing. For manufacturing, I explored how to use a 3D printer as well as the process of making a soft robot using the silicone injection molding method. This process involved 3D printing molds, preparing the silicone mixture, and then carefully demolding the cured components after a period of time to avoid defects. I also further made rigid structural parts, such as connection plates and caps. To validate and test the robot's performance, I conducted multiple experiments assessing the bending range, load capacity, and grasping versatility. The variable stiffness mechanism worked well, and greatly increased the payload capacity from when compared without it. I have the following insights and experiences from this work. Firstly, the manufacturing process of the modular soft robotic arm presented several difficulties, particularly in electrical integration and silicone fabrication. One major challenge was the complex wiring and the programming required for the buttons and control system on the Arduino. Soldering connections was also tedious, and the wires often became a tangled mess, which increased my risk of connecting the wrong wire and resulting in a short circuit. Another significant hurdle was the silicone injection molding process. While this method allowed for flexible and durable soft actuator segments, imperfections such as air bubbles, uneven curing or tearing during demolding occasionally led to defective and 94 Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Computing Innovation and Applied Physics DOI: 10.54254/2753-8818/2026.32177 unusable parts due to structural integrity. Sometimes, the defects were more severe and required recasting which wasted valuable time and materials. The variable stiffness mechanism, while very effective, required a long time to put together, as the soft silicone membrane on the outside was hard to align and hold its shape when assembling it. To enhance the future iterations of the robot, several improvements are planned. Firstly, the end effector design will be changed and improved to either a soft robotic hand with silicone actuators as fingers, or a rigid and stiff claw. Changing to either of these 2 can provide us with massive benefits, such as better grasping, more flexibility, and also having a wider range of uses. Secondly, more powerful and reliable motors will be integrated to address the current issue of insufficient force output, ensuring consistent performance under varying loads. Additionally, modular electrical connectors and less buttons could streamline assembly and reduce clutter, while automated pressure control systems might improve the simplicity of controlling the robot. For the fabrication process, alternative manufacturing techniques, such as 3D-printed molds or direct silicone 3D printing, could minimize defects and improve consistency. Furthermore, integrating self-healing materials or reinforced silicone blends may enhance durability, reducing the likelihood of damage during operation. These refinements aim to optimize both functionality and manufacturability, making the soft robotic arm more robust and adaptable for real-world applications.

    An Elephant Trunk-Inspired Modular Variable Stiffness Soft Robot · 2026 · DOI

  • Despite the significant progress in microspine gripper research, conventional single-degree-of-freedom gripper designs still suffer from prominent practical in complex working environments, mainly manifesting in the high risk of microspine damage caused by unexpected collisions and poor adaptability and grasping stability on variable-roughness surfaces. Furthermore, previous studies have primarily the structural practicality of grippers while overlooking the importance of rational dimensional design and accurate adhesion force calculation, which together restrict the reliable application of microspine grippers in wall-climbing robots and drones. To address these critical deficiencies, this study proposes a novel two-degree-of-freedom biomimetic microspine gripper inspired by the retractable protective structural features of feline claws.

    Design, testing, and dimensional optimization of a biomimetic microspine gripper based on feline paw structure · 2026 · DOI

  • Fluidic soft actuators have shortcomings of portability and autonomy. Previous soft pumps have limitations in terms of performance and power consumption.

    A flexible liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic pump for soft robotic systems · 2026 · DOI

  • Confined and dynamic environments. Limited dexterity and maneuverability of traditional robotic platforms. Non-uniform curvature and large-deformation conditions of soft joints.

    Modeling and priority-based control of a bio-inspired hybrid actuation underwater robot with soft universal joint framework · 2026 · DOI

  • The proposed approach is validated through numerical simulations and water-tank experiments, but not in real-world scenarios. The control strategy is designed for a specific type of underwater robot, and its applicability to other types of robots is unknown.

    Modeling and priority-based control of a bio-inspired hybrid actuation underwater robot with soft universal joint framework · 2026 · DOI

  • Intelligent control and real-time implementation of the bio-inspired robotic arm. Field deployment of the robotic arm for search and rescue operations. Development of more advanced robotic systems with higher degrees of freedom and improved maneuverability.

    Integrated Design Approach For Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing Of High-Strength Biocompatible Prosthetics · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional robotic manipulators lack adaptability for dynamic and irregular conditions. There is a need for bio-inspired robotic systems that can mimic the structure and motion of natural organisms.

    Integrated Design Approach For Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing Of High-Strength Biocompatible Prosthetics · 2026 · DOI

  • The total weight of the robot must not exceed 10 kg. The robot's design is limited to pipe diameters ranging from 290 mm to 310 mm.

    Design and motion performance study of a dual-mode pipeline robot with active diameter adjustment · 2026 · DOI

  • Traditional manual inspection methods face challenges such as large workloads, low efficiency, and difficulty accessing complex pipeline environments. Limited mobility and obstacle-crossing capability in small- and medium-diameter pipeline inspection robots.

    Design and motion performance study of a dual-mode pipeline robot with active diameter adjustment · 2026 · DOI

  • The clinical adoption of robotic assistance in microsurgery remains limited, particularly for minimally invasive procedures in highly constrained workspaces. Achieving multi-degree-of-freedom motion within a submillimeter outer diameter is challenging.

    Design and miniaturization of an ultra-fine multi-degree-of-freedom robotic instrument for ophthalmic minimally invasive microsurgery · 2026 · DOI

  • Future piezoelectric microrobots will develop toward full-flexible structure and multi-modal cross-medium motion. They will develop toward wireless autonomous control and self-powered energy harvesting. They will develop toward high-performance new piezoelectric materials and biomedical diagnosis and treatment integration.

    Research Progress and Prospect of Piezoelectric-Driven Microrobots · 2026 · DOI

  • Current piezoelectric-driven microrobots have limitations such as short endurance and insufficient load capacity. There is a need for the development of full-flexible structure and multi-modal cross-medium motion. There is a need for the development of high-performance new piezoelectric materials.

    Research Progress and Prospect of Piezoelectric-Driven Microrobots · 2026 · DOI

  • The limitations of manual systems for transcatheter valve repair. The need for a more reliable and user-friendly platform for complex transcatheter procedures.

    Using Robotics to Improve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair of the Mitral Valve · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in the development of miniature quadruped robots, particularly in terms of scaling down existing platforms. The authors highlight the need to explore the benefits of scale reduction for legged locomotion.

    A Novel Miniaturized Implementation of the Minitaur Quadruped: Design, Gait Control, and Experimental Validation · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of a comprehensive design and control framework for robotic arms. The need for a reformulation of the actuator sizing problem based on electrical motor torque requirements. The limited use of 3D-printed links and spur-gear transmissions in robotic arms.

    Design and prototyping of a smart powered lifting robotic arm (SPLRA) · 2026 · DOI

  • The Smart Lifting Robotic Arm paper successfully designed and implemented a func- tional robotic arm controlled by an Arduino microcontroller, demonstrating effective automation and precise object manipulation. Testing confirmed the arm’s reliability and accuracy, showcasing Arduino’s capabilities in robotics and opening avenues for future enhancements like increased load capacity and optimized control algorithms. To enhance the Smart Lifting Robotic Arm’s functionality, it is recommended to upgrade the motors and materials for increased load capacity and durability, and optimize the control algorithms for improved responsiveness and precision. Although the 12 V / 2 A supply was sufficient for the tested 0.8 kg sequential lifting operation, future versions of the SPLRA should use a higher-current power supply, such as 12 V / 5 A or higher, especially if heavier payloads, faster acceleration profiles, or simultaneous multi-joint actuation are required. Incorporating advanced control systems like machine learning or AI could also expand the arm’s versatility. Testing in real-world industrial settings is advised to gain practical insights and identify further improvement areas. Future work will include a complete SolidWorks/ANSYS FEA study with von Mises stress contours, displacement plots, mesh density information, and convergence analysis for the most critically loaded SPLRA links. The creep deformation, layer delamination, mounting- hole elongation, gear wear, and fatigue life under extended cyclic loading, gear backlash using dial-indicator or encoder-based angular measurements should be evaluated also in the further studies.

    Design and prototyping of a smart powered lifting robotic arm (SPLRA) · 2026 · DOI

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55 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 257 Soft Robotics and Applications papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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