Soft Actuators: Toward a New Generation of Electrically Controllable Hygromorphic Soft Actuators (Adv. Mater. 10/2015)

Abstract

Smart soft structures composed of an active thin layer of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) in a double-layered structure with a silicone elastomer are demonstrated via an innovative processing strategy by S. Taccola, F. Greco, V. Mattoli and co-workers on page 1668. Such a composite material, which possesses intrinsic multifunctionality, such as simultaneous structural properties, sensing, and actuation capabilities, paves the way toward a new class of smart structures for bioinspired and soft robotics.