Embodying mechano-fluidic memory in soft machines to program behaviors upon interactions: replication package

This dataset contains data and code to replicate the figures of the related article published in Device (2025) Embodying mechano-fluidic memory in soft machines to program behaviors upon interactions https://www.cell.com/device/fulltext/S2666-9986(25)00176-0 Abstract: Soft machines display shape adaptation to external circumstances due to their intrinsic compliance. To achieve increasingly responsive behaviors upon interactions without relying on centralized computation, embodying memory directly in the machines' structure is crucial. Here, we harness the bistability of elastic shells to alter the fluidic properties of an enclosed cavity, thereby switching between stable frequency states of a locomoting self-oscillating machine. To program these memory states upon interactions, we develop fluidic circuits surrounding the bistable shell, with soft tubes that kink and unkink when externally touched. We implement circuits for both long-term and short-term memory in a soft machine that switches behaviors in response to a human user and that autonomously changes direction after detecting a wall. By harnessing only geometry and elasticity, embodying memory allows physical structures without a central brain to exhibit autonomous feats that are typically reserved for computer-based robotic systems. This replication package contains data acquired during the experiments and scripts used to process and visualize the data (MATLAB, Python). The package also contains the STL files of the 3D-printed components required to build the soft devices presented in the article. Further details and instructions are provided in the readme.txt file. Kindly contact the corresponding author for any queries.