Bioinspired Soft Robots Based on Liquid Crystal Elastomers: From Multimodal Actuation to Functional Integration

• • LCEs achieve reversible deformations up to 400% strain under thermal stimuli (e.g., 130°C), enabling muscle-like actuation for soft robots; this high strain capacity is critical for applications requiring large-amplitude motion, such as crawling and jumping, where conventional actuators fail to deliver sufficient displacement. • • Dynamic covalent bonds (e.g., thiourea, imine, boronic ester) enable self-healing efficiencies above 90% at moderate temperatures (e.g., 80°C) and full recyclability without significant loss of actuation performance, addressing the critical bottleneck of durability and sustainability in soft robotics. • • Photo-responsive LCEs incorporating azobenzene or photothermal dyes achieve actuation response times below 1 second under UV or NIR irradiation (e.g., 365 nm, 100 mW/cm²), enabling remote, spatiotemporal control; this rapid response is essential for real-time robotic maneuvers and wireless operation in inaccessible environments. • • Cholesteric LCEs exhibit mechanochromic responses with color shifts spanning the visible spectrum (e.g., from red to blue) under mechanical strain, enabling integrated strain sensing and camouflage; this dual functionality allows robots to self-report deformation and adapt to surroundings, enhancing their utility in surveillance and soft exoskeletons.