NUS Team Develops Soft Force Sensor That Needs No Electronics

A research team led by Professor Benjamin Tee and Professor Cecilia Laschi of the National University of Singapore’s College of Design and Engineering developed ME-SOFS, a mechanical soft force sensor that converts force into fluid flow to drive an actuator without using any electronics. The research was published in Science Advances on July 8, 2026.

The NUS team demonstrated a soft force sensor that converts applied force into fluid flow to move an actuator without electronics. By connecting sensing to action without electronic circuits or an external power source, the sensor is relevant to soft robots operating in wet, high-temperature and high-pressure environments, where electronic components can be prone to instability.