Soft robotics on the move: scientific networks, activities, and future challenges

Recent advances in soft and smart materials, compliant mechanisms, and a new paradigm of intelligence have led to the development of soft robots: engineered machines largely built of soft materials. Because of their soft and deformable bodies, soft robots are expected to be able to accomplish tasks in unstructured environments and safely interact with humans. However, while soft robotics is a highly growing interdisciplinary research field, the related scientific community is still scattered. This article aims to summarize the organized activities to consolidate the soft robotics scientific community and suggests future challenges to push this interdisciplinary research field forward.