Flexible sensors for soft robotics: a problem-oriented review of sensing mechanisms, integration and applications

Purpose This paper systematically reviews flexible sensors in soft robotics, aiming to summarize current progress, challenges, and provide a reference for future research. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a review of flexible sensors in soft robotics, employing a problem-oriented approach to systematically summarize current research progress and challenges. The text commences with an introduction to the various categories of flexible sensors. The performance characteristics, recent developments, practical application issues and corresponding solutions for each sensor type are analyzed. Subsequently, the paper explores the placement and embedding of flexible sensors within soft robots, covering optimal sensor layout, embedding techniques, and challenges in sensor integration along with corresponding solutions. The paper further synthesizes the latest research findings on flexible sensors across diverse application scenarios. Findings Flexible sensors face integration challenges, with key developments spanning diverse applications (soft mobile robots, grippers, motion monitoring). Future trends include codesign of materials/structures/mechanisms, improved sensor integration, and convergence of intelligent sensing with AI. Originality/value This problem-oriented, comprehensive overview uniquely synthesizes sensor types, integration techniques, applications and prospective trends, offering a structured reference for advancing flexible sensors in soft robotics.