Flexibility (engineering)
Related papers: 20
About
Flexibility in engineering refers to the capacity of a system, material, structure, or process to adapt, deform, or reconfigure in response to varying conditions, requirements, or environments. In robotics and AI, flexibility manifests across multiple scales: at the material level, flexible sensors, actuators, and electronics enable robots to interact safely with humans and conform to irregular surfaces, as seen in artificial skin and wearable sensing systems; at the mechanical level, compliant mechanisms and soft actuators allow controlled deformation that improves safety during human-robot contact; and at the systems level, flexible teamwork frameworks, adaptive planning algorithms, and reconfigurable manufacturing workflows let robots and AI agents respond dynamically to changing tasks or environments. This breadth makes flexibility a cross-cutting concept spanning materials science, mechanical design, control theory, and multi-agent coordination. It matters because rigid, fixed-function systems struggle in unstructured real-world settings—flexibility is what enables robots to operate safely alongside humans, handle diverse tasks without reprogramming, and scale across applications from warehouse automation to healthcare, ultimately bridging the gap between controlled lab performance and practical deployment.
Top Researchers
Top Cited Papers
CasADi: a software framework for nonlinear optimization and optimal control
Joel A.E. Andersson, Joris Gillis, Greg Horn, James B. Rawlings, Moritz Diehl
Citations: 3693 • 2018
A large-area, flexible pressure sensor matrix with organic field-effect transistors for artificial skin applications
Takao Someya, Tsuyoshi Sekitani, Shingo Iba, Yusaku Kato, Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Takayasu Sakurai
Citations: 1891 • 2004
Survey on human–robot collaboration in industrial settings: Safety, intuitive interfaces and applications
Valeria Villani, Fabio Pini, Francesco Leali, Cristian Secchi
Citations: 1137 • 2018
Towards Flexible Teamwork
M. Tambe
Citations: 902 • 1997
Two-photon direct laser writing of ultracompact multi-lens objectives
Timo Gissibl, Simon Thiele, Alois Herkommer, Harald Gießen
Citations: 898 • 2016
Dynamic analysis of flexible manipulators, a literature review
Santosha K. Dwivedy, Peter Eberhard
Citations: 855 • 2006
Cooperation of human and machines in assembly lines
Jörg Krüger, Terje K. Lien, Alexander Verl
Citations: 833 • 2009
DeepMimic
Xue Bin Peng, Pieter Abbeel, Sergey Levine, Michiel van de Panne
Citations: 802 • 2018
Robot Collisions: A Survey on Detection, Isolation, and Identification
Sami Haddadin, Alessandro De Luca, Alin Albu‐Schäffer
Citations: 754 • 2017
Wearable Sensors‐Enabled Human–Machine Interaction Systems: From Design to Application
Ruiyang Yin, Depeng Wang, Shufang Zhao, Zheng Lou, Guozhen Shen
Citations: 734 • 2020
AND/OR Graph Representation of Assembly Plans
Luiz S. Homem de Mello
Citations: 681 • 1986
Fast and "Soft-Arm" Tactics
Antonio Bicchi, Giovanni Tonietti
Citations: 641 • 2004
Hybrid printing of mechanically and biologically improved constructs for cartilage tissue engineering applications
Tao Xu, Kyle Binder, Mohammad Z. Albanna, Dennis D. Dice, Weixin Zhao, James J. Yoo, Anthony Atala
Citations: 623 • 2012
Industry 4.0: Opportunities and Challenges for Operations Management
Tava Lennon Olsen, Brian Tomlin
Citations: 603 • 2019
Multifunctional Skin‐Inspired Flexible Sensor Systems for Wearable Electronics
Kaichen Xu, Yuyao Lu, Kuniharu Takei
Citations: 597 • 2019
Compliant Mechanisms: Design of Flexure Hinges
Nicolae Lobontiu
Citations: 595 • 2002
Coordinating hundreds of cooperative, autonomous vehicles in warehouses
Peter R. Wurman, Raffaello D’Andrea, Mick Mountz
Citations: 570 • 2007
Robotized and Automated Warehouse Systems: Review and Recent Developments
Kaveh Azadeh, René de Koster, Debjit Roy
Citations: 541 • 2019
ARGoS: a modular, parallel, multi-engine simulator for multi-robot systems
Carlo Pinciroli, Vito Trianni, Rehan O’Grady, Giovanni Pini, Arne Brutschy, Manuele Brambilla, Nithin Mathews, Eliseo Ferrante, Gianni A. Di, Frederick Ducatelle, Mauro Birattari, Luca Maria Gambardella, Marco Dorigo
Citations: 537 • 2012
Applications of the MOORA method for decision making in manufacturing environment
Shankar Chakraborty
Citations: 523 • 2010