Ray-inspired robots: recent advances in actuation and control
Ray-inspired robots show promise in ocean exploration and monitoring because of their potential for efficient locomotion, maneuverability, and stability in aquatic environments. This review explores recent progress in ray-inspired robotics, focusing on trends in locomotion modes, actuation types, and control and sensing strategies. We identify current challenges and performance gaps, list useful metrics, and suggest promising research directions that could improve and expand the capabilities of batoid robots.
Authors
- Jorn A. Cheney (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9952-2612)
- Nicole W. Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1649-8718)
- Sergio A. Araujo-Estrada (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5432-5842)
- M. Brown (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4494-165X)
- Luke Freyhof
- J. Sean Humbert
Institutions
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- University of Southampton (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Robotics
- Published
- 2026-01-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44182-025-00064-x
- Primary Topic
- Biomimetic flight and propulsion mechanisms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- University of Southampton
- University of Colorado Boulder