Physical synchronization of soft self-oscillating limbs for fast and autonomous locomotion
2025-05-22
Animals achieve robust locomotion by offloading regulation from the brain to physical couplings within the body. In contrast, locomotion in artificial systems often depends on centralized processors. Here, we introduce a rapid and autonomous locomotion strategy with synchronized gaits emerging through physical interactions between self-oscillating limbs and the environment, without control signals. Each limb is a single soft tube that only requires a constant flow of air to perform cyclic stepping motions at frequencies reaching 300 hertz. Physical synchronization of several of these self-oscillating limbs enables locomotion speeds that are orders of magnitude faster than those of comparable state-of-the-art robots. Through body-environment dynamics, these seemingly simple devices exhibit autonomy, including obstacle avoidance, amphibious gait transitions, and phototaxis.