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JRM Vol.37 No.1 pp. 105-113
doi: 10.20965/jrm.2025.p0105
(2025)

Paper:

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

Yoshimune Tayama, Hidemitsu Furukawa ORCID Icon, and Jun Ogawa ORCID Icon

Graduate School of Science and Technology, Yamagata University
4-3-16 Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata 992-8510, Japan

Received:
July 30, 2024
Accepted:
November 14, 2024
Published:
February 20, 2025
Creative Commons License
Keywords:
soft robotics, biomimetics, locomotion, physical reservoir computing
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.

Overview of “Geltropods”

Overview of “Geltropods”

Cite this article as:
Y. Tayama, H. Furukawa, and J. Ogawa, “Development of a Soft Robot with Locomotion Mechanism and Physical Reservoir Computing for Mimicking Gastropods,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.37 No.1, pp. 105-113, 2025.
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Last updated on Mar. 04, 2025