1. Flexible robotics, soft robotics, continuous robotics

1.1 General

A flexible robot is one that takes advantage of the deformation of flexible (non-rigid) bodies to generate motion. It thus differs from the classic manipulator robot, which uses purely rigid bodies linked by pivot or slide joints.

Flexible robots have a number of advantages: firstly, they eliminate the need for guiding elements and functional clearances, making them more compact and precise. What's more, since the bodies involved have the ability to deform under the stress of forces/moments exerted by the external environment, they are well suited to tasks requiring interaction with this environment, especially if the latter is fragile. Indeed, the robot's deformations will absorb shocks in the event of collisions with the environment, thus preventing...