Flexible Sensing-based Soft Robotics: Key Technology and Applications in Medical Rehabilitation

Medical rehabilitation is being revolutionized by the integration of soft robotics and flexible sensing technologies, which overcome critical limitations of traditional rigid robots—such as safety risks, discomfort, and limited adaptability. This synergy enables high-precision monitoring of physiological and kinematic signals—including pressure, strain, biochemical, and temperature metrics—through resistive, capacitive, and piezoelectric sensing mechanisms. By combining innovative materials with optimized algorithms, integrated drive-sensing-control systems have been developed to support closed-loop, personalized therapy. Notably, wearable devices such as smart gloves and exosuits have demonstrated significant improvements in hand function recovery, gait training, and respiratory assistance for patients with stroke or Parkinson’s disease. Looking forward, advances in self-healing materials, digital twin technology, and AI-driven adaptation are poised to enable highly customizable rehabilitation and scalable home-based care, offering a transformative pathway for intelligent, user-centered medical recovery. This article aims to provide a systematic reference and research direction for the deep integration of soft robots and flexible sensing technology in the field of medical rehabilitation, and to promote the development of intelligent, personalized and sustainable rehabilitation solutions.