Xin Li, Ran Xu, Chenchen Xie, Zhixing Ge, Bin Gao, Chwee Teck Lim
Soft robots, characterized by compliance, adaptability, and multimodal responsiveness, represent a rapidly advancing frontier in biomedical applications, wearable technologies, and environmental exploration. This review summarizes recent progress in soft robotics with a focus on material innovation, structural design, functional integration, and intelligent responsiveness. Emphasis is placed on the development of bioinspired and stimuli-responsive materials, the construction of modular and reconfigurable architectures, and the integration of actuation, sensing, and energy systems. Microneedle array-based soft robots and hydrogel-based 4D-printed systems are introduced as representative platforms for drug delivery, wound healing, and environmental monitoring. Key challenges, including limited durability, power autonomy, and multifunctional synergy, are critically analyzed in relation to practical operation and long-term reliability. Future directions involve the convergence of self-healing materials, intelligent control algorithms, and multiscale integration strategies to achieve enhanced adaptability and clinical translation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the interdisciplinary development of next-generation soft robots that bridge materials science, biomedical engineering, and intelligent systems, paving the way toward real-world applications.