Researchers have created a soft robot that walks, hops, and swims using inflatable, wavey air dancer-like legs powered by a continuous stream of air.
The robot moves quickly, avoids obstacles, and achieves synchronization and movement without the need for a computer, software, or sensors.
The robot can travel up to 30 body lengths per second, adapts to obstacles in its path, and transitions from hopping to swimming freestyle when moving between different environments.
The research challenges the notion that lifelike robot behavior requires complex control systems, emphasizing the role of harnessing underlying physics for creating adaptive and robust systems.