Electrothermally Controlled 3D‐Printed Shape Memory Polymers for Near‐Ambient Temperature Soft Robotic Applications
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Soft robotic applications require adaptable, responsive systems capable of precise actuation, particularly under ambient conditions. Here, we develop 3D‐printed stimuli–responsive polymer grippers for robotic operations near room temperature. Masked stereolithography 3D printing is employed to fabricate customized multifinger grippers using bespoke resins of shape memory polymers. These resins are formulated with varying monomer and crosslinker ratios to tune the shape memory transition within a near‐ambient temperature range (≈20–70°C). To remotely control the robotic operations, electrically controlled resistive heating is adapted to provide the stimulus for shape transition and to control each finger of the gripper independently. Additionally, as a proof of concept, triboelectric sensors are integrated onto the fingers of the gripper, maintaining the system's flexibility, adaptability, and compactness. The sensor‐integrated gripper is capable of actively detecting robotic actions such as grabbing and releasing objects. The innovative design of electrothermally controlled grippers integrated with self‐powered triboelectric sensors offers significant potential for soft interactive interfaces.
Source: Advanced Intelligent Systems
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,970
OpenAlex ID: W7130477406