Shape Morphing in Soft Robots: Debates, Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Shape-morphing or shape-changing robots are terms used to describe the physical reconfiguration of synthetic structures to adapt to changing task demands or new environments. However, the definition of shape-morphing robots is still ambiguous/debatable. For example, one recent review paper suggested that shape change necessitates a change in the resting (non-actuated) shape of a robot’s body. Yet, this definition is not shared by all, as many works describe deformations due to actuation examples of shape-morphing. Beyond defining such critically emerging terms, grand challenges exist. What are the performance metrics of shape-morphing robots? Are currently available hardware components (actuators, sensors, structures, and controllers) and computational algorithms sufficient to realize our collective vision, and if not, what specifically is lacking? This workshop will bring together researchers contributing to the field of shape-morphing or shape-changing robots to collectively define the scope of the field, metrics related to shape-morphing performance, benchmarks, and grand challenges.