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A soft, finger-worn haptic interface consisting of four serpentine-structured shape memory alloy actuators can implement 11 distinct patterns of tactile sensations composed of shear, normal and circular rubbing forces.

A wireless, battery-free soft robot system uses radio wave beamforming to actuate and power shape memory polymer actuators via LCE and liquid metal transducers-offering fast, remote control in confined spaces for rescue, teleoperation, and more.

Meter-scale fabrication of conductive fibers with both electrical and mechanical stability is crucial for the advancement of digital apparel. This study presents a heterostructure printing technique for producing such fibers, accelerating the practical adoption of wearable electronic textiles.

Compliant metastructures lack versatility due to limited programmability and form customizability. In this work, the authors propose a design concept to enhance their reconfigurability, utilizing stiffness-changing materials to create metastructures with up to six degrees of freedom, enabling broader applicability across diverse fields.

Autonomous assembly, reconfiguration and disassembly are observed in living aggregates, but are difficult to replicate in synthetic soft matter. Here mechanically interlocked responsive ribbons form transient viscoelastic solids for the on-demand assembly of functional materials.

Achieving hybrid magnetic actuation, energy transfer and somatosensory actuation functions in soft electromagnetic devices is a challenge. Here, Zhang et. al. present a hybrid core-sheath fiber and use a one-step coaxial printing method to create complex 2D/3D structures with multimodal functionalities.

Propulsive motion in soft robotic systems requires the power amplification of stored energy. An accumulated strain energy-fracture power-amplification method is used to create light-driven soft robotic systems with a controlled launching ability.

Ferrofluids with their extreme deformability are being used as soft machines. Using ferrofluids, Sun et al. show a variety of soft machines by playing with the wetting properties of solid surfaces

A hydrogel composite that consists of micrometre-sized silver flakes suspended in a polyacrylamide–alginate hydrogel matrix exhibits a high electrical conductivity of over 350 S cm⁻¹ and a low Young’s modulus of less than 10 kPa.

An organogel that is based on poly(vinyl alcohol)–sodium borate and contains a percolating conductive network of silver particles and liquid metal microdroplets exhibits spontaneous mechanical and electrical self-healing, as well as an electrical conductivity of 7 × 10⁴ S m⁻¹.

To advance the design of soft robots, novel computational frameworks that accurately model the dynamics of soft material systems are required. Here, the authors report a numerical framework for studying locomotion in limbed soft robots that is based on the discrete elastic rods algorithm.

This Review Article examines the development of functional untethered soft robotics, evaluating recent advances in soft robotic actuation, sensing, and integration in relation to untethered systems.

Liquid metal droplets dispersed in an elastomer can form conducting paths when the composite is exposed to extreme mechanical pressure. This ability is used to realize flexible circuits that autonomously electrically self-heal after puncturing or tearing.

Electronic skins that are able to restore their function when damaged in aquatic conditions could be used to create durable underwater soft robots.

Padmanabha et al. present a multi-modal detection approach to detect scratch and estimate scratch intensity consisting of a multimodal ring device and machine learning algorithms. Clinically relevant discrimination of scratching intensity levels is achievable.

Eutectic Ga-In droplets can be functionalized with various polymers and co-polymers using atom transfer radical polymerization. The droplets are ready for direct solution processing to form liquid-metal nanocomposites for potential applications in soft robotics.

Progress in soft machines and electronics depends on new classes of soft multifunctional materials that can self-repair and heal when damaged so that they can survive the same real-world conditions that human skin and other soft biological materials are typically subjected too. Here, we provide a perspective on current trends and future opportunities in self-healing soft systems that enhance the durability, mechanical robustness, and longevity of soft-matter machines and electronics.