Cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) is a type of high-performance robot that integrates cable-driven kinematic chains and parallel mechanism theory. It inherits the high dynamics and heavy load capacities of the parallel mechanism and significantly improves the workspace, cost and energy efficiency simultaneously. As a result, CDPRs have had irreplaceable roles in industrial and technological fields, such as astronomy, aerospace, logistics, simulators, and rehabilitation. CDPRs follow the cutting-edge trend of rigid-flexible fusion, reflect advanced lightweight design concepts, and have become a frontier topic in robotics research. This paper summarizes the kernel theories and developments of CDPRs, covering configuration design, cable-force distribution, workspace and stiffness, performance evaluation, optimization, and motion control. Kinematic modeling, workspace analysis, and cable-force solution are illustrated. Stiffness and dynamic modeling methods are discussed. To further promote the development, researchers should strengthen the investigation in configuration innovation, rapid calculation of workspace, performance evaluation, stiffness control, and rigid-flexible coupling dynamics. In addition, engineering problems such as cable materials, reliability design, and a unified control framework require attention.

Silicone-based pneumatic actuators are among the most widely used soft actuators in adaptable fingers. However, due to the soft nature of silicone, the performance of these fingers is highly affected by the low torsional stiffness, which may cause failure in grasping and manipulation. To address this problem, a compact design is proposed by embedding a rigid skeleton into a soft pneumatic finger. A finite element approach with an analysical model is used to evaluate the performance of the fingers both with and without the skeleton. Then, a series of experiments is performed to study the bending motion and rigidity of the fingers. The results reveal that the skeleton increases the torsional stiffness of the finger up to 300%. Furthermore, the consistency with the experimental data indicates the good precision of the proposed modeling method. Finally, a two-finger hand is designed to evaluate the performance of the reinforced finger in reality. The grasp experiments illustrate that the hybrid finger with the skeleton is highly adaptable and can successfully grasp and manipulate heavy objects. Thus, a potential approach is proposed to improve the torsional stiffness of silicone-based pneumatic fingers while maintaining adaptability.