Global Materials Technologies for Soft Robotics, Growth Opportunities

Global Materials Technologies for Soft Robotics, Growth Opportunities

To promote safe interactions between humans and robots, the discipline of soft robotics incorporates low modulus yet highly dexterous materials into robotic systems. Easily deformable materials like polymers, elastomers, alloys, biohybrids, and nanostructures in the form of fluids, gels, soft electronics, and wearables (with elastic and rheological qualities similar to biological tissue and organs) make up most soft robots. The new class of elastically flexible, adaptable, and biologically inspired materials for robots has the potential to transform their use in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and a range of human support functions.

Industrial robots are fast and precise systems based on rigid-body mechanisms, which ensure high throughput in the production of manufactured goods. However, the emergence of Industry 4.0, need for better technical capabilities, rising workforce costs, and lack of sufficient talent have propelled end users to adopt robotics made of soft materials with new, bio-inspired features that permit morphologically adaptive interactions in unpredictable environments.

As these soft materials evolve, they will be integrated into various industry applications to conduct complex tasks via highly efficient actuators, grippers, modules, and sensors. Soft materials could also solve various robotics design challenges, especially to achieve a balance of precision, force exertion, degrees of freedom, and structural compliance. One of the biggest issues in robotics is creating simple and secure interfaces between robotic devices and humans. Improving complexity and versatility in useful soft materials to mimic human muscles and tissues for adaptability and integration is pivotal.

This This Frost & Sullivan study explores emerging and futuristic soft robotics materials that can be incorporated into robotics. The research captures various technical aspects, end applications, technology trends and opportunities, and dynamics in the industry stakeholder ecosystem. It also explores the top materials and offers comparative benchmarking, including factors that render the superiority of these materials. The report delivers a deep dive into the intellectual property and financing backdrop for soft robotics materials.

Frost & Sullivan has identified key categories of soft robotics materials, segmented as follows:

• Soft polymers (hydrogel, electroactive, ferroelectric, shape memory, self-healing, and other smart polymers)
• Elastomers (silicones, PEDOT:PSS, PDMS, liquid crystal elastomers, and bioelastomers)
• Alloys and metallic materials (shape memory alloys and liquid metals)
• Biohybrids (bacterial, protists, tissues, biopolymers, and biomimetics)
• Nanostructures (carbon nanotubes, graphene, buckyballs, and other nanocomposites)

Robotics firms continue to forge partnerships and collaborations to design new soft robotics components. Mergers and acquisitions, specifically special purpose acquisitions (SPACs), have sparked the development of innovative soft material solutions. Factors such as the expanding aging population, need for better automation solutions, the growing impact of additive manufacturing, and emerging application opportunities are accelerating the soft robotics materials technology landscape.

Key Questions This Study Explores:

Which materials are top-notch candidates for use in soft robotics?
How have the materials’ developmental milestones emerged?
What are the regional technology and market trends in soft robotics materials development?
What is the state of the soft robotics materials value chain and who are the key decision-makers?
What are the main manufacturing routes to obtain soft materials for robotics?
What R&D and commercialization initiatives are underway to explore new soft materials and for which robotics parts or components?
What are the IP and funding scenarios for soft robotics materials?
What are the growth opportunities for technology developers in the soft robotics materials arena?