Liquid Crystal Soft Actuators and Robots toward Mixed Reality

Liquid crystals (LCs) are soft but smart materials that can adjust its chemical or physical properties in response to various external stimuli. Using these materials to construct soft actuators and robots, referred as LC actuators and robots, is expected to replace current machinery part, obtaining lighter and smaller equipment with adjustable and complex functions. Especially, combining these LC actuator and robots with existing virtual reality and augmented reality technologies will produce a new world of mixed reality (MR) with the visual, auditory, and somatosensory interaction. In this review, the recent work on responsive LC actuators and robots is introduced, emphasizing on their potentials in haptic use. By discussing their programmable control via suitable stimuli, the LC actuators and robots are summarized for mechanical outputs, environmental mimic, and fine-tuning of surface texture and roughness. It is anticipated that the continuous development on LC actuators and robots will accelerate the MR technology toward practical application.

Automated summary

Liquid crystals (LCs) are soft and intelligent materials that can adjust their properties in response to external stimuli, making them ideal for constructing soft actuators and robots. By combining LC actuators and robots with virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, a new world of mixed reality (MR) with multi-sensory interaction can be created. The development of LC actuators and robots is expected to accelerate the practical application of MR technology.