A call for a performance-driven approach for soft robotics research

Soft robots offer physical adaptability and collision robustness, but they find limited applications due to lower speed, precision, and controllability compared to rigid systems. We advocate for a performance-driven approach to develop hybrid soft-rigid robots with animal-like agility. Recent research demonstrates that soft robots incorporating fast-acting muscles, energy-storing tendons, and shape-morphing skeletons can achieve capabilities approaching their biological and rigid counterparts.

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Publication Details

Journal
npj Robotics
Published
2026-02-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44182-026-00073-4
Primary Topic
Soft Robotics and Applications
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

A call for a performance-driven approach for soft robotics research

Kaushik Jayaram, Pakpong Chirarattananon, Yufeng Chen
npj Robotics
Soft Robotics and Applications
article

A call for a performance-driven approach for soft robotics research

Kaushik Jayaram, Pakpong Chirarattananon, Yufeng Chen
article en

Abstract

Soft robots offer physical adaptability and collision robustness, but they find limited applications due to lower speed, precision, and controllability compared to rigid systems. We advocate for a performance-driven approach to develop hybrid soft-rigid robots with animal-like agility. Recent research demonstrates that soft robots incorporating fast-acting muscles, energy-storing tendons, and shape-morphing skeletons can achieve capabilities approaching their biological and rigid counterparts.

npj RoboticsVol. 4(1)
University of Toronto (CA), University of Colorado Boulder (US), Imperial College London (GB), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US)
National Science Foundation, City University of Hong Kong, University of Toronto, Office of Naval Research, Army Research Office, Air Force Research Laboratory
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 58%
Soft Robotics and Applications
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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A call for a performance-driven approach for soft robotics research — Kaushik Jayaram, Pakpong Chirarattananon, et al. · npj Robotics (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS