There has been a great deal of interest in designing soft robots that can mimic a human system with haptic and proprioceptive functions. There is now a strong demand for soft robots that can sense their surroundings and functions in harsh environments. This is because the wireless sensing and actuating capabilities of these soft robots are very important for monitoring explosive gases in disaster areas and for moving through contaminated environments. To develop these wireless systems, complex electronic circuits must be integrated with various sensors and actuators. However, the conventional electronic circuits based on silicon are rigid and fragile, which can limit their reliable integration with soft robots for achieving continuous locomotion. In our study, we developed an untethered, soft robotic hand that mimics human fingers. The soft robotic fingers are composed of a thermally responsive elastomer composite that includes capsules of ethanol and liquid metals for its shape deformation through an electrothermal phase transition. And these soft actuators are integrated fully with flexible forms of heaters, with pressure, temperature, and hydrogen gas sensors, and wireless electronic circuits. Entire functions of this soft hand, including the gripping motion of soft robotic fingers and the real-time detections of tactile pressures, temperatures, and hydrogen gas concentrations, are monitored or controlled wirelessly using a smartphone. This wireless sensing and actuating system for somatosensory and respiratory functions of a soft robot provides a promising strategy for next-generation robotics.

中文翻译：

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具有完全集成的无线传感和驱动系统的无束缚软机器人，用于体感和呼吸功能。

人们对设计能够模仿具有触觉和本体感受功能的人类系统的软机器人产生了极大的兴趣。现在对能够在恶劣环境中感知周围环境和功能的软机器人有着强烈的需求。这是因为这些软机器人的无线传感和驱动能力对于监测灾区的爆炸性气体和穿越受污染的环境非常重要。为了开发这些无线系统，复杂的电子电路必须与各种传感器和执行器集成。然而，基于硅的传统电子电路刚性且脆弱，限制了它们与软机器人的可靠集成以实现连续运动。在我们的研究中，我们开发了一种模仿人类手指的不受束缚的柔软机械手。柔软的机器人手指由热响应弹性体复合材料组成，该复合材料包括乙醇和液态金属胶囊，可通过电热相变实现形状变形。这些软执行器与灵活的加热器、压力、温度和氢气传感器以及无线电子电路完全集成在一起。这只柔软的手的全部功能，包括柔软的机器人手指的抓握动作以及触觉压力、温度和氢气浓度的实时检测，都可以使用智能手机进行无线监测或控制。这种用于软机器人体感和呼吸功能的无线传感和驱动系统为下一代机器人技术提供了一种有前途的策略。