Soft robotics is a rapidly emerging field, i.e., set to revolutionize industries like healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, defense, etc. These machines mimic the movements & behaviors of natural organisms, which makes them much more compliant, versatile & adaptable than traditional robots and well-suitable to accomplish tasks that require high precision & control. Soft & flexible materials like silicone or rubber enable their change of shape & movement. Moreover, due to their inherent safety embedded at the very material level, these machines are gaining the attention of numerous end-user industries.
Given these trends, a recent research report by MarkNtel Advisors has cited that the Global Intelligent Soft Robotics Market is set to record around 37% CAGR during 2023-28. The rapidly increasing adoption of automation across various end-user industries to improve the productivity & quality of operations while reducing errors, coupled with benefits like the increased output in the automobile, healthcare, e-commerce, & aviation sectors, are the prime aspects projected to drive the industry in the future.
What are the Key Applications?
- Manufacturing: Soft robots are ideal for manufacturing applications that need delicate handling of objects. They can further be used in assembly line operations to handle fragile components or for more efficient & gentle packaging of products.
- Healthcare: Soft robots hold immense potential to transform the healthcare sector by facilitating new variants of MIS (Minimally Invasive Surgeries). They can also be used for building exosuits that help disabled people regain mobility.
- Agriculture: In the agricultural sector, soft robots can be used for performing planting, harvesting, & weeding and for navigating through the fields without damaging crops, especially when integrated with sensors & machine learning algorithms.
- Survey & Exploration: The softness & flexibility of these machines enable them to adapt to different obstacles and easily survive in harsh environments like space, underground mines, & deep-sea.
- Education: In the field of education, soft robots can be used for teaching students about robotics & engineering, where teachers can demonstrate concepts like motion, force, & control.
- Entertainment: These machines can be of great use in animatronics, theme parks, & other interactive means of entertainment to provide visitors with a more lifelike & engaging experience.
- Search & Rescue: Soft robots can be used for locating & extract people from collapsed buildings or searching for survivors in places inaccessible to traditional search & rescue equipment.
Wrap Up
Significant advances in material science and fabrication techniques like 3D printing have led to the development of more complex soft robots that can be utilized in fields like wearables, biomedical devices, and disaster response.
However, the development of advanced & sustainable power sources, i.e., the key to revealing the true potential of soft robotics and enabling them to transform how robots interact with their environments, shall bode well for the intelligent soft robotics industry in the coming years, where soft robots will be around in our daily life and capable of exploring the unknown world like living creatures while working closely with humans in the long run.
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