Researchers have unveiled a soft, worm‑like robot developed by scientists in Italy. The project, highlighted by the Italian Institute of Technology, demonstrates a new approach to bioinspired locomotion using compliant materials.
Living creatures have long evolved to fit their surroundings with remarkable efficiency. Engineers studying these organisms often borrow design cues directly from nature. In particular, worms move by coordinating muscle layers to generate backward peristaltic waves, a mechanism that propels the body forward while gripping the surrounding medium. This natural strategy has served as a blueprint for creating machines that can operate in similar terrains, where rigid devices struggle to adapt to uneven surfaces or confined spaces.
Italian researchers examined how worm muscles coordinate motion and translated those dynamics into a mechanical platform. The resulting robot is built from soft, flexible bodies and is driven by a peristaltic soft drive that activates sequentially along its length. The entire form consists of five fluid‑filled segments linked by connectors, allowing each segment to extend or retract with minimal resistance. The design tolerates gradual variations in segment size, with practical measurements around a baseline of roughly 11 millimeters per segment in its current configuration.
The prototype extends to about 45 centimeters in length and has a mass near 605 grams. To adapt to different terrains, the robot carries friction‑enhancing pads at each segment tip. These pads mimic tiny bristles observed in natural worm bodies, providing grip on loose soil, sand, and rocky substrates. The machine can reach speeds up to about 1.35 millimeters per second, a pace that suits exploratory tasks in restricted or subterranean environments where traditional wheels or treads lose traction or get stuck.
Beyond the lab, the researchers envision a range of practical uses for such soft‑driven devices. In underground exploration and excavation, a worm‑like robot could probe narrow passages, assess structural integrity, or deliver sensors and tools without causing excessive disturbance to surrounding material. In search and rescue missions beneath debris or in collapsed structures, a flexible body with adaptable grip can navigate through rubble where rigid robots fail. The concept also holds promise for planetary science missions, where the harsh and unknown soil conditions on other worlds require a robust, compliant crawler that can adapt its posture on demand. These goals align with broader efforts to expand autonomous exploration into environments that challenge rigid robots and conventional locomotion systems.
From a technical perspective, the soft‑drive architecture emphasizes distributed actuation and fluidly coupled segments. Each segment operates as a small, pressure‑driven chamber that can be inflated or deflated to produce a controlled wave along the body. The sequential activation creates a propagating motion, enabling the device to inch forward with a smooth, continuous rhythm. This method reduces stress concentrations that often plague rigid mechanisms and enhances resilience when encountering obstacles or uneven soil. Engineers continually refine the control strategies to balance speed, stability, and power efficiency, aiming to extend operational life on field deployments. The choice of materials and the degree of compliance play a critical role in achieving reliable performance in diverse environments.
As researchers test and optimize these systems, the perceived advantages of soft robotics become clearer. The capability to adjust stiffness mid‑mission allows the robot to strike a balance between gentle interaction with fragile surroundings and the solid pushing force required to advance. In addition, the soft architecture is less prone to catastrophic failure from small damages, making it suitable for harsh or remote settings where maintenance opportunities are limited. The ongoing work also explores sensor integration, enabling real‑time feedback about soil consistency, moisture, and other subterranean conditions. Such information could be crucial for planning safe passage, placing probes, or timing tool deployment in challenging landscapes.
Overall, the development of worm‑inspired soft robots marks a step toward flexible autonomy in environments that demand subtle, adaptive motion. The Italian team’s findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that compliant, peristaltic locomotion can outperform traditional rigid designs in certain tasks. As this research progresses, it may open up new capabilities for deep‑soil exploration, underground construction, disaster response, and extraterrestrial missions where mobility and gentleness must coexist with persistence and reach.