Recent progress in soft electronics and robotics based on magnetic nanomaterials

Recent advancements in soft electronics and robotics have expanded the possibilities beyond the capabilities of traditional rigid devices, indicating promise for a range of applications in electronic skins, wireless biomedical devices, and others. Magnetic materials exploited in these soft systems can further broaden the modalities in sensing and actuation. These magnetic materials, when constructed in the forms of nanoparticles, nanomembranes, or other types of nanostructures, exhibit some unique characteristics, such as the magnetoresistance effect and size-dependent coercivity. Soft electronics and robotics employing such magnetic nanomaterials offer a variety of functions, including the detection of the intensity and direction of magnetic fields, measurement of various types of mechanical deformations, manipulation and transport at small scales, and multimodal complex locomotion in a controllable fashion. Despite recent advancements in soft electronics and robotics, challenges remain in developing advanced materials and manufacturing schemes to improve performance metrics and facilitate integration with other devices. This review article aims to summarize the progress made in soft electronics and robotics based on magnetic nanomaterials, with an emphasis on introducing material and device performance. The discussions focus on soft electronics and robotics based on magnetic nanomembranes/nanostructures and magnetic composites. As a concluding remark, this article summarizes the current status of the field and discusses opportunities that underpin future progress.