A research team led by the University of Oxford in the UK has developed a new type of soft robot that requires no electronic components, motors or computational instructions and operates solely on air pressure.Research shows that this kind of "brainless" robot does not rely on a central control system or program instructions, but achieves movement and coordination through the physical interaction between its own structure and the outside world.
This achievement opens up a new direction for the development of embodied intelligence, that is, directly encoding decision-making and behavior into the structure of the robot.From "robots controlled by the brain" to "robots whose bodies themselves are intelligent systems". This new type of robot is more efficient and energy-saving, and is expected to achieve adaptive work in scenarios with limited energy and complex environments in the future.
Soft robots are made of flexible materials and are good at traversing complex terrain or manipulating fragile objects. An important goal in this field is to write behavior and decision-making mechanisms directly into the physical structure of robots, so that they can adapt to the environment without the need for complex perception and programming systems. But how to make this kind of automated behavior emerge naturally has always been a big challenge.
Many organisms achieve bodily coordination without central control. The research team drew inspiration from nature and designed a modular air pressure unit that can transmit air pressure like electricity in an electronic circuit and complete different mechanical functions. Depending on the airflow setting, this unit can perform three tasks: move in response to changes in air pressure like a muscle; sense changes in contact like a tactile sensor; and control airflow shutoff like a valve.
These modules are like Lego bricks. Multiple identical units of a few centimeters in size can be assembled into different robots without changing the basic design.The team assembled a shoebox-sized desktop prototype in the laboratory, which can complete actions such as jumping, vibrating, and crawling.
Under a specific connection, a single module can perform three functions at the same time, and can produce rhythmic motion autonomously by continuously applying air pressure. When multiple modules are connected together, they naturally form synchronized rhythms without any computer control.
