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Towards Nanomaterial-Incorporated Soft Actuators: from Inorganic/Organic Material-Based Soft Robot to Biomaterial-Based Biohybrid Robot

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Abstract

Soft actuators have played an indispensable part in the field of biosensors and soft robotics as such systems offer solutions that cannot be addressed with rigid actuators due to the lack of both flexibility and sensitivity. However, soft actuators have certain limitations when it comes to their durability and longevity. In recent years, quite a few versatile fabrication techniques and innovative solutions have been developed that have played an essential role in the development of soft robotics. An exemplary innovation involves the integration of nanomaterials into polymers that act as a host in the fabrication of inorganic/organic actuators. These actuators have shown significant enhancement both in their physical and chemical properties. Consequently, it paves the way for the development of sophisticated soft actuator-based devices that can find broader applications in the field of biomedical sciences. However, biocompatibility has been a matter of concern for inorganic/organic soft actuators. Addressing this issue, studies on the development of biomaterial-based soft actuators that incorporate nanomaterials have been conducted for biohybrid robots. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of diverse stimulus-trigger actuation alongside exploring the influence of nanomaterials in inorganic/organic actuators. Further, it gives valuable insights into the implication of biomaterials in soft actuators for the development of biohybrid robot.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by Brain Pool program funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2022H1D3A2A02093530), by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (No.2019R1A2C3002300), by GRDC Cooperative Hub through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (Grant number RS-2023-00259341).

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  1. Minkyu Shin and Seewoo Kim have equally contributed to this work.

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  1. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Minkyu Shin, Seewoo Kim, Ambrose Ashwin Melvin & Jeong-Woo Choi

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  1. Minkyu Shin
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  2. Seewoo Kim
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  3. Ambrose Ashwin Melvin
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Shin, M., Kim, S., Melvin, A.A. et al. Towards Nanomaterial-Incorporated Soft Actuators: from Inorganic/Organic Material-Based Soft Robot to Biomaterial-Based Biohybrid Robot. BioChip J 18, 68–84 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13206-023-00134-y

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