TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to describe a range of artificial muscle and soft gripping technologies for robotic applications.Design/methodology/approach– Following a short introduction, this paper first discusses the role of air muscles and other pneumatic actuation technologies. It then considers electroactive polymer and shape‐memory alloys and finally discusses the prospects for various classes of electrohydrodynamic fluids.Findings– This paper shows that a technologically diverse range of novel actuation techniques exist, or are under development, which can act as artificial muscles and soft grippers. They are based on pneumatics, shape changing materials and electrohydrodynamic fluids and have prospects to impart robots with improved or unique capabilities.Originality/value– The paper provides an insight into developments in artificial muscle and soft gripping technologies. These are expected to play a vital role in future robot generations.
VL  - 39
IS  - 6
SN  - 0143-991X
DO  - 10.1108/01439911211268642
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/01439911211268642
AU  - Bogue Robert
PY  - 2012
Y1  - 2012/01/01
TI  - Artificial muscles and soft gripping: a review of technologies and applications
T2  - Industrial Robot: An International Journal
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 535
EP  - 540
Y2  - 2024/09/20
ER  -