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This Smart Robotic Wing Handle Ocean Currents Like Birds & Fish Helping Build More Efficient Underwater Robots

University of Southampton researchers have developed a groundbreaking robotic wing that can sense and adapt to changes in water flow—much like birds and fish do in nature. This innovation could dramatically improve the stability, efficiency, and maneuverability of underwater robots.

The study, published in npj Robotics, introduces a soft robotic wing equipped with advanced sensing technology. In controlled tests, the wing reduced sudden underwater jolts—known as unwanted uplift impulse—by an impressive 87% compared to the rigid wings currently used on most Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).

Learning from Nature’s Design

Animals have evolved extraordinary ways to deal with unstable environments. Birds glide smoothly through shifting air currents. Fish swim gracefully through turbulent waters. Their secret lies in flexibility and sensory awareness.

Birds rely on a system called proprioception—their internal sense of body position and movement. Feathers can detect subtle airflow changes, helping birds adjust their wings instantly. Fish use a lateral line system, a network of sensory cells along their bodies, to detect water pressure and movement. Their flexible fin rays also help them adapt quickly.

In contrast, traditional underwater robots are built with rigid materials. When hit by sudden currents, they struggle to respond efficiently and must use large amounts of energy to stabilize themselves.

The research team decided to rethink robotic design—not by making machines tougher, but by making them smarter and more adaptable.

The Technology Behind the Adaptive Wing

The new wing uses a special electronic skin (e-skin) that mimics the sensory systems found in animals. This e-skin contains flexible liquid metal wires embedded inside silicone. When the wing bends or encounters changes in water flow, the wires stretch and send signals—just like nerves in a living organism.

Inside the wing’s body are two hydraulic tubes. These tubes adjust pressure automatically to change the wing’s stiffness and camber (the curvature of the wing). This allows the wing to respond instantly to disturbances in the surrounding water.

Instead of relying solely on motors or external control systems, the wing combines passive and active responses:

  • Passive response: The flexible materials naturally absorb some of the disturbance.

  • Active response: The hydraulic system adjusts shape and stiffness when sensors detect changes.

This hybrid system makes the wing both responsive and energy-efficient.

Impressive Test Results

The researchers tested the wing under various water disturbances, comparing it with:

  1. A standard rigid wing used in current AUVs

  2. A basic soft wing without sensing abilities

The results were remarkable:

  • 87% reduction in unwanted uplift impulse compared to rigid wings

  • Four times faster response than similar soft wings

  • Five times less energy consumption than thermal shape-changing systems

The team even noted that the wing’s stabilization ability was roughly double that of a barn owl during glide, though they caution that direct comparisons between machines and animals should be interpreted carefully.

These findings suggest that underwater robots could soon move more like living creatures than mechanical devices.

Why This Matters for Ocean Robotics

Underwater environments are unpredictable. Waves, currents, and turbulence constantly shift. Robots used for exploration, environmental monitoring, and offshore infrastructure inspection must operate reliably under these conditions.

Professor Blair Thornton from the University of Southampton explains that ocean environments require robots to continuously sense and adapt. Without this ability, machines waste energy fighting forces they cannot predict.

Soft robotics has already shown promise in improving propulsion efficiency. However, integrating sensing and control directly into soft materials represents a major step forward.

This innovation could lead to:

  • More agile underwater exploration vehicles

  • Safer inspection robots for pipelines and offshore wind farms

  • Lower energy consumption for long-duration missions

  • Better performance in extreme marine environments

For countries investing in marine research and offshore industries—including India—such advancements could significantly improve ocean exploration capabilities.

A Shift in Robotic Philosophy

Lead author Leo Micklem, who conducted the research at the University of Southampton, emphasizes a broader shift in thinking.

Instead of building robots that try to overpower natural forces, engineers are designing machines that work in harmony with the environment.

This philosophy mirrors how evolution has shaped animals over millions of years. Flexibility, adaptability, and sensing are more effective than rigidity and brute strength.

The paper, titled “Harnessing proprioception in aquatic soft wings enables hybrid passive-active disturbance rejection,” presents a future where robots behave less like machines and more like living systems.

Challenges Ahead

Despite the promising results, the technology is still in development. The team acknowledges several challenges:

  • Scaling the design for larger underwater vehicles

  • Integrating soft adaptive wings with rigid AUV components

  • Ensuring durability in real-world ocean conditions

  • Developing more powerful actuators for even greater stability

Ocean environments can be harsh, with saltwater corrosion, pressure variations, and long-term wear. Engineers must ensure that the delicate e-skin and hydraulic systems can withstand extended deployment.

However, the researchers believe improvements in materials and actuator design will further enhance performance in the coming years.

The Future of Adaptive Underwater Machines

The success of this robotic wing highlights a broader trend in robotics—moving toward systems that combine sensing, flexibility, and intelligence directly within their structure.

By embedding awareness into materials themselves, robots can react instantly without heavy computational processing or large energy demands.

In the future, we may see fleets of underwater robots gliding through oceans with the grace of fish and birds. These machines could monitor coral reefs, track climate change effects, inspect underwater cables, and explore deep-sea ecosystems—all while consuming far less energy.

Nature has always been the world’s greatest engineer. By learning from birds’ feathers and fish’s sensory systems, scientists are building machines that blur the line between biology and technology.

This breakthrough from the University of Southampton demonstrates that the future of robotics may not lie in stronger metals or bigger motors—but in softer materials, smarter sensing, and deeper inspiration from the natural world.

As research in soft robotics continues, the gap between animals and machines is steadily closing. And in the vast, unpredictable oceans, that could make all the difference.

Reference: Leo Micklem et al, Harnessing proprioception in aquatic soft wings enables hybrid passive-active disturbance rejection, npj Robotics (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44182-026-00078-z

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