Soft robotics has increasingly been presented as the inevitable direction for medical robotic systems, largely due to its assumed safety, compliance, and biocompatibility. However, this narrative often overlooks critical technical limitations: control complexity, low force output, lack of standardization, and limited clinical validation.

This workshop will critically examine the role of softness in medical robotics: not just can we build soft robots, but should we? when and where? Are there applications where the benefits of softness truly outweigh the trade-offs in control, durability, and integration? What are those applications and what are the current challenges facing the adoption of soft robotic solutions?  Where might rigid or hybrid systems be better suited?

Our goal is to move beyond hype and develop a nuanced, evidence-based perspective on when and where soft—or hybrid soft-rigid—robotic solutions offer real clinical value, and why. To tackle these questions, we will bring together leading researchers in soft and medical robotics, along with industry and clinical experts, to share insights, debate applications, and collectively chart a roadmap for the future of medical soft robotics.