A team of roboticists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong has developed a groundbreaking snail robotic swarm system, drawing inspiration from land snails’ unique locomotion and adhesive capabilities. This innovative system, tailored for unstructured environments, addresses the limitations of existing robot swarms, particularly in outdoor settings. The research, published in Nature Communications, introduces a two-mode connection mechanism, allowing the robots to exhibit freeform mobility and robust adhesion, akin to the locomotion and response to disturbance observed in land snails.

The snail-like robots, equipped with magnet-embedded tracks, demonstrate free-mode mobility, mirroring the natural locomotion of snails. This mode enhances adaptability and efficiency, enabling the robots to move across a wide variety of smooth and uneven surfaces. Additionally, the strong mode employs a vacuum sucker with directional polymer stalks for secure adhesion, similar to a snail’s response to disturbance. Integrating these two modes balances mobility and stable connections, enabling the robots to work as one while maintaining individual functionality.

Outdoor experiments have showcased the exceptional capabilities of the individual robots and the remarkable synergy within the swarm. The robots can connect using the suction cup to form a train, create stair steps for climbing, and even navigate across gaps, resembling the cooperative behavior observed in ants forming bridges. While the robots are remotely controlled, the researchers envision a future where the robots can operate autonomously, opening up possibilities for applications in field research, search and rescue missions, and even space exploration as planetary probes.

This pioneering research represents a significant advancement in terrestrial robotic swarms’ real-world applications, offering adaptable solutions for various tasks in unstructured environments. The snail-inspired robot swarm system holds promise for revolutionizing the field of robotics and expanding the capabilities of autonomous systems in challenging outdoor settings.

References

• Yirka, B. & Tech Xplore. (2024, May 7). Scientists create robot snails that can move independently using tracks or work together to climb. Tech Xplore; Tech Xplore. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-05-scientists-robot-snails-independently-tracks.html
• Zhao, D., Luo, H., Tu, Y., Meng, C., & Lam, T. L. (2024). Snail-inspired robotic swarms: A hybrid connector drives collective adaptation in unstructured outdoor environments. Nature Communications, 15(1), 3647. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47788-2