Since the modern concepts for virtual and augmented reality are first introduced in the 1960's, the field has strived to develop technologies for immersive user experience in a fully or partially virtual environment. Despite the great progress in visual and auditory technologies, haptics has seen much slower technological advances. The challenge is because skin has densely packed mechanoreceptors distributed over a very large area with complex topography; devising an apparatus as targeted as an audio speaker or television for the localized sensory input of an ear canal or iris is more difficult. Furthermore, the soft and sensitive nature of the skin makes it difficult to apply solid state electronic solutions that can address large areas without causing discomfort. The maturing field of soft robotics offers potential solutions toward this challenge. In this article, the definition and history of virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is first reviewed. Then an overview of haptic output and input technologies is presented, opportunities for soft robotics are identified, and mechanisms of intrinsically soft actuators and sensors are introduced. Finally, soft haptic output and input devices are reviewed with categorization by device forms, and examples of soft haptic devices in VR/AR environments are presented.
The establishment of a new academic field is often characterized by a phase of rapid growth, as seen over the last decade in the field of soft robotics. However, such growth can be followed by an equally rapid decline if concerted efforts are not made by the community. Here, we argue that for soft robotics to take root and have impact in the next decade, we must move beyond “soft for soft’s sake” and ensure that each study makes a meaningful contribution to the field and, ideally, to robotics and engineering more broadly. We present a three-tiered categorization to help researchers and reviewers evaluate work and guide studies toward higher levels of contribution. We ground this categorization with historical examples of soft solutions outside of robotics that were transformative. We believe that the proposed self-reflection is essential if soft robotics is to be an impactful field in the next decade, advancing robotics and engineering both within and beyond academia and creating soft solutions that are quantitatively superior to the current state of the art—soft, rigid, or otherwise.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10224098
- Publisher / Repository:
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Science Robotics
- Volume:
- 6
- Issue:
- 53
- ISSN:
- 2470-9476
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- Article No. eabg6049
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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