Most robots are rigid, which makes them precise but unforgiving around fragile objects and living things. Soft robotics builds machines from flexible, compliant materials that bend and deform, so they can grasp gently and absorb unexpected contact without harm.
The softness that makes them safe also makes them harder to control precisely and to model, since a flexible body does not hold a fixed shape. They shine where give matters more than precision, such as handling produce or working close to people.