A type of physically controlled behavior

New Publication in Science Robotics by Our Faculty Member

June 2, 2025

An article by Jun. Prof. Philipp Rothemund has been published in Science Robotics. The publication, titled "Physical Control: A New Avenue to Achieve Intelligence in Soft Robotics," discusses the concept of physical control, emphasizing how intelligent functions can be embedded directly into a robot’s mechanical structure—rather than relying on software and high-power computation. Inspired by biological systems, the study highlights how soft materials with nonlinear properties, such as snap-through instabilities and rate dependencies, can give rise to autonomous behavior. Three categories of physically controlled behavior are discussed: oscillation, sequence, and reaction. The study explains to the broader field of embodied intelligence and proposes that mechanical design, when properly harnessed, can reduce computational overhead while enhancing robotic adaptability.

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