When laypeople hear the word “robot,” they usually still think of a kind of “metal human” with arms, legs, a torso, and a head. Like the lovable C-3PO from “Star Wars.” Or the evil T-800 from “Terminator.” Such beings are still the stuff of sci-fi.
In practice, however, a different type of robot has long since become widespread: a mostly stationary, rigid, high-precision 6-axis articulated arm optimized for its task. This robot can, for example, grasp, separate, and sort parts. It can produce uniform weld seams for hours on end, paint and coat large production runs, precisely apply sealant, adhesive, or potting compound, stack goods onto pallets or remove them from them, grind, polish, and deburr. However, the tasks must be repeatable and clearly defined and take place in a controlled environment.
“Soft robotics,” which Dr. Malte Grube is researching at the Institute of Mechanics and Marine Technology at TU Hamburg, turns the image of the human machine on its head. Soft robots consist of compliant materials that can bend, twist, and touch safely. “We don’t want to eliminate the deformations of the soft materials, but rather use them productively,” explains Grube.
Real-world applications
In this way, robotics is reaching areas that were previously too sensitive or too human, ranging from caregiving and rehabilitation to food production. The central idea of soft robotics is no longer maximum force and precision, but controlled gentleness. This creates a technology that relieves people without endangering them.
In the near future, applications in manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, for example, would be conceivable. Soft grippers could handle fruits, vegetables, or baked goods gently. Textile exosuits could provide hip or shoulder support when lifting, working overhead, or during long shifts on one’s feet. Rehabilitation gloves and soft orthoses allow for more intensive, real-life training after strokes. Soft, secure gripping modules on wheelchairs or beds assist with transferring, washing, and dressing. Soft endoscopic tools gently navigate through narrow anatomical spaces. Specialized inspection robots take over work in dangerous or hard-to-reach areas, such as airport infrastructure, or in the aftermath of natural disasters.
Read the full article in the current issue of spektrum (in German)
