SIMBI: Soft Intelligent Module for Benthic Interactions
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Soft underwater grippers are well-suited for ecological sampling, providing flexibility in handling specimens of different sizes and shapes while reducing environmental impact through their compliance. Yet they are usually employed on big remotely operated vehicles, constraining their application by size, which can disturb aquatic habitats and limit their ability to access remote areas without shoreline access such as mountain and forest lakes. To support efficient underwater exploration, we designed, developed, and tested an aerially deployed underwater vehicle featuring a compact, lightweight soft gripper. This design reduces water disturbance and enables precise navigation in confined underwater environments, significantly expanding operational capabilities underwater. By analyzing the pod’s volume changes, buoyancy actuation, and propulsion mechanisms, we derive a simplified dynamic model to describe the underwater motion. We developed a control framework that decouples buoyancy, thrust, and yaw to enable independent control of underwater motion. Precise buoyancy control, essential for navigating interstices without causing ecological harm, was achieved with feedback control loops taking water depth as feedback, showing a rise time of under 5 s and a 10% settling time within 30 s. Yaw control, achieved via inertial measurement unit feedback, exhibited a rise time of less than 10 s with oscillations of 10%–25% around the set values. This system enhances underwater grasping, extends mission reach and efficiency, and helps minimize environmental disruption.
Date Issued
2026-04-29
Date Acceptance
2026-04-01
Citation
Soft Robotics, 2026
ISSN
2169-5172
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Journal / Book Title
Soft Robotics
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2026 by SAGE Publications. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42053156
Subjects
aerial robots application
grippers and other end-effectors
soft robot applications
Publication Status
Published online
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2026-04-29