ABSTRACT
For the last two decades, the electroactive polymer (EAP) material-based soft robotics has revealed a new horizon in the field of biomedical instrumentation and robotics. Ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs), one of the EAPs, have diversified biomimetic applications, which include artificial muscle activity, human–machine interface and different physical parameters identification of human body. This chapter focuses on different biomedical robotic applications and potential solutions using IPMC sensor/actuator technology. IPMC active actuators could be potentially very significant and effective in operation under very low driving voltage (1–5 V). IPMC sensor characterization and identification of parameters, application of soft robotics in the field of gesture-based object identification and microgripping using artificial fingers, taste sensing application and characterization of EMG signals by IPMC sensing technology for human health monitoring remain under the scope of this research work.
