Towards a Unified Naming Scheme for Thermo-Active Soft Actuators: A Review of Materials, Working Principles, and Applications

Abstract: Soft robotics is a rapidly growing field that spans the fields of chemistry, materials science, and engineering. Due to the diverse background of the field, there have been contrasting naming schemes such as 'intelligent', 'smart' and 'adaptive' materials which add vagueness to the broad innovation among literature. Therefore, a clear, functional and descriptive naming scheme is proposed in which a previously vague name -- Soft Material for Soft Actuators -- can remain clear and concise -- Phase-Change Elastomers for Artificial Muscles. By synthesizing the working principle, material, and application into a naming scheme, the searchability of soft robotics can be enhanced and applied to other fields. The field of thermo-active soft actuators spans multiple domains and requires added clarity. Thermo-active actuators have potential for a variety of applications spanning virtual reality haptics to assistive devices. This review offers a comprehensive guide to selecting the type of thermo-active actuator when one has an application in mind. Additionally, it discusses future directions and improvements that are necessary for implementation.