This paper is dedicated to soft grippers, robot tools with a wide application area in various activities where an accurate and delicate grabbing movement is required such as routine manipulation tasks with fragile objects, operation in unknown or dangerous environments, and manipulation with unknown shape objects, as well as exploring the depths of the sea or harvesting vegetables in agriculture. The main goal of this paper is to review and systematize the main ideas about and achievements of soft grippers published from 2015 to 2024. The paper provides a statistical analysis of the performed research and systematized advancements of soft grippers according to their operating principle, forces and effects that enable their operation, and the properties of potential manipulation objects. Grippers inspired by nature are also discussed, as most successful solutions are based on ideas derived from nature. This study discusses the latest achievements of soft grippers and their various applications and presents a unique distribution of soft grippers according to the physical principle of the forces they act on, according to the size of the object to be grasped, and according to technological realizations. The results of this analysis can be useful for practical gripper users aiming to improve their workplace and find optimal design solutions, for gripper manufacturers or developers, or for scientists of material sciences looking for applications for their products.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) hybridized with fast Fourier transform-based electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (FFT-EIS) seems to be a powerful variation of scanning electrochemical impedance microscopy (SEIM), wherein both state-of-the-art techniques are combined (FFT-SEIM) and can be used for the investigation and treatment of tissues at single cell level. However, in most EIS-based experiments, harmful redox mediators are applied, which affect the functioning of living cells and tissues. Therefore, the development of a redox-probe-free FFT-SEIM is still a very important challenge in electrochemistry. For this reason, in this research, we have demonstrated a redox-probe-free evaluation of conducting and non-conducting surfaces by combining scanning electrochemical microscopy with FFT-EIS. It was demonstrated that using the fast Fourier transform-based FFT-EIS technique, EIS spectra could be registered much faster compared to experiments performed using the conventional EIS equipment. An ultramicroelectrode (UME) was used as a scanning electrode to ensure high spatial resolution. We have performed FFT-SEIM measurements in a redox-probe-free mode (without any additional redox probes) and have investigated several surfaces with different conductivities. The FFT-EIS equipment and the built-in software help to avoid the influence of possible formation of hydrogen bubbles on the UME. This research opens up a new avenue for the application of FFT-SEIM in the investigation of samples that are unstable and very sensitive towards redox mediators (e.g., tissues and/or living cells).

Since the development of industrial robots, they have been used to enhance efficiency and reduce the need for manual labor. Industrial robots have become a universal tool across all economic sectors, with the integration of software that is extremely important for the effective operation of machines and processes. Robotic action accuracy is currently experiencing rapid development in all robot-involving activities. Currently, a significant breakthrough has been observed in modifying algorithms and controlling robot actions, as well as in monitoring and planning software and hardware compatibility to prevent errors in real-time. The integration of the Internet of Things, machine learning, and other advanced techniques has enhanced the intelligent features of industrial robots. As industrial automation advances, there is an increasing demand for precise control in a variety of robotic arm applications. It is essential to refine current solutions to address the challenges posed by the high connectivity, complex computations, and various scenarios involved. This review examines the application of vision-based models, particularly YOLO (You Only Look Once) variants, in object detection within industrial robotic environments, as well as other machine learning models for tasks such as classification and localization. Finally, this review summarizes the results presented in selected publications, compares represented methods, identifies challenges in prospective object-tracking technologies, and suggests future research directions.

The development of low-cost biodegradable pressure or force sensors based on a carrageenan and iron (III) oxide mix is a promising way to foster the spread of green technologies in sensing applications. The proposed materials are inexpensive and abundant and are available in large quantities in nature. This paper presents the development and experimental study of carrageenan and iron (III)-oxide-based piezoresistive sensor prototypes and provides their main characteristics. The results show that glycerol is required to ensure the elasticity of the material and preserve the material from environmental impact. The composition of the carrageenan-based material containing 1.8% Fe₂O₃ and 18% glycerol is suitable for measuring the load in the range from 0 N to 500 N with a sensitivity of 0.355 kΩ/N when the active surface area of the sensor is 100 mm². Developed sensors in the form of flexible film have square resistance dependence to the force/pressure, and due to the soft original material, they face the hysteresis effect and some plastic deformation effect in the initial use stages. This paper contains extensive reference analysis and found a firm background for a new sensor request. The research covers the electric and mechanical properties of the developed sensor and possible future applications.

This paper is dedicated to the research of phenomena noticed during tests of biodegradable carrageenan-based force and pressure sensors. Peculiar voltage characteristics were noticed during the impact tests. Therefore, the sensors’ responses to impact were researched more thoroughly, defining time-dependent sensor output signals from calibrated energy impact. The research was performed using experimental methods when a free-falling steel ball impacted the sensor material to create relatively definable impact energy. The sensor’s output signal, which is analogue voltage, was registered using an oscilloscope and transmitted to the PC for further analysis. The obtained results showed a very interesting outcome, where the sensor, which was intended to be piezoresistive, demonstrated a combination of behaviour typical for galvanic cells and piezoelectric material. It provides a stable DC output that is sensitive to the applied statical pressure, and in case of a sudden impact, like a hit, it demonstrates piezoelectric behaviour with some particular effects, which are described in the paper as proton transfer in the sensor-sensitive material. Such phenomena and sensor design are a matter of further development and research.