Development of a Soft Robot with Locomotion Mechanism and Physical Reservoir Computing for Mimicking Gastropods

Abstract

The class Gastropods, which includes snails and sea slugs, inhabits a wide range of environments. Members of this class move by utilizing waves generated through muscular contractions in their soft body tissues (pedal wave). This characteristic is observed in both aquatic and terrestrial species and serves as a mechanism for adapting to various environments. In this study, we developed a soft robot that generates pedal wave using soft matter. This soft robot employs sensing based on machine learning, utilizing the soft material as a physical reservoir to leverage its environmental adaptability and soft exterior. The experiments investigated in this study were the relationship between locomotion performance and environments and the identification accuracy achieved through machine learning.