This article focuses on advancements in soft robotics, highlighting the development of sensitive and intelligent sensor materials based on ceramic particles. Led by Frank Clemens at Empa, researchers are exploring the unconventional use of ceramics—traditionally associated with rigid materials—as flexible and responsive sensors. These sensors are embedded in stretchable polymers, enabling them to detect temperature, strain, pressure, and humidity through changes in electrical conductivity. The team has achieved selective sensitivity for specific stimuli, such as pressure or temperature, and applied these innovations to robotic prosthetics and artificial “robot skin,” which mimic human-like sensory perception. Collaborating with institutions like ETH Zurich and the University of Tokyo, they integrated these sensors into bio-hybrid robots and artificial muscles for enhanced proprioception and reflexive responses. With potential applications in robotic gripping systems and medical devices, the research aims to enable safer and more intuitive human-machine interactions. The team is seeking to enhance sensor sensitivity and intelligence by optimizing the interplay of ceramic and polymer materials.
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