Operationalising reproducibility in soft robotics

Reproducibility is a particular challenge for soft robotics, yet remains a core part of its development and maturation as a field. This perspective dives into reproducibility: what it is, what it means, and how it can be applied to soft robotics. We first discuss reproducibility and delineate why it is a critical consideration for the field. Following this, our core contributions are in defining three moonshot goals that collectively chart a path towards a reproducible future for soft robotics. First, methods for testing and sharing data are discussed. Second, we show how testing procedures from other scientific disciplines can provide broad coverage over different types of soft robotics tests that we might want to complete. Finally, we highlight the need for methods to quantitatively compare the embodied intelligence that lies at the heart of soft robotics research. If successful, these steps would put the field in an excellent position to develop into the future.