Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41406224›Full record

ArticleScience advances2025

Multimaterial 3D printed soft robots with embedded actuation and sensing.

Zixiao Zhu, Dong Wang, Mengjie Zhang, Le Dong, Qinghua Yu, Chengru Jiang, Xiaoyang Zhu, Mei Chen, Kun Zhou, Guoying Gu

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Science advances, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Zixiao ZhuState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0009-0003-2347-4604
Dong WangState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8569-8713
Mengjie ZhangState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0009-0009-1501-1742
Le DongState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5554-3278
Qinghua YuState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0009-0007-0458-5391
Chengru JiangState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6825-2779
Xiaoyang ZhuShandong Engineering Research Center for Additive Manufacturing, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266520, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2943-5238
Mei ChenSingapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.ORCID 0009-0005-7749-2175
Kun ZhouSingapore Centre for 3D Printing, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-7660-2911
Guoying GuState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7778-4523

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Soft robots require the seamless integration of actuation and sensing units to achieve autonomy and adaptability behaviors. This demands conformal, stretchable, and spatially distributed electronic components-an unmet challenge with conventional design and fabrication methods due to complex three-dimensional (3D) geometries, multimaterial integration, and mechanical-electrical mismatches between rigid electronics and soft bodies. Here, we present a design and fabrication framework for autonomous soft robots with embedded actuation and sensing. We develop an integrated digital light processing and direct ink writing 3D printing technology to fabricate soft robots with embedded and conformal 3D electronics in an automated manner. To ensure both electrical and mechanical stability under large deformation, we introduce a structural design strategy incorporating lattice metamaterials, wavy interconnects, and discretized printed circuit boards. By combining the fabrication and design methods, we demonstrate soft robots with multimodal actuation, real-time tactile sensing, wireless communication, tactile-to-visual feedback, and autonomous obstacle avoidance. Our approach paves the way for the development of electronics-integrated autonomous soft robots.

Identifiers

PMID41406224
PMCPMC12710710

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.