Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion

Lin Hong; Junjie Wang; Gan Zhang; Yixuan Sheng; Fumin Zhang; Lei Guo

doi:10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion

Lin Hong^*
, Junjie Wang
, Gan Zhang
, Yixuan Sheng
, Fumin Zhang
, Lei Guo

^*Corresponding author for this work

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Southeast University, Nanjing
Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen
Beihang University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Inspired by the remarkable grasping and locomotion capabilities of octopus arms, this paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a bio-inspired soft robotic arm capable of object grasping and bipedal locomotion in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. By integrating soft materials, pneumatic actuation, and control systems, the soft robotic arm replicates key biological features and functions of octopus arms, enabling object grasping and bipedal locomotion in amphibious environments. Experimental results show that the soft robotic arm can grasp objects with diameters ranging from 52 mm to 76 mm, supporting a maximum payload of 185 g in air and 524.5 g underwater. In addition, a pair of robotic arms enables effective underwater bipedal locomotion at 1.51 cm/s. These findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed design and highlight its potential for practical applications in amphibious environments.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings
Editors	Takayuki Matsuno, Lianqing Liu, Zhouping Yin, Xiangyang Zhu, Weihong Ren, Zhiyong Wang, Yixuan Sheng, Honghai Liu
Publisher	Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Pages	239-251
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Print)	9789819520947
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20
State	Published - 2026
Externally published	Yes
Event	18th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2025 - Okayama, Japan Duration: 6 Aug 2025 → 9 Aug 2025

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science
Volume	16074 LNCS
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	18th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2025
Country/Territory	Japan
City	Okayama
Period	6/08/25 → 9/08/25

Keywords

Bio-inspired robot
Bipedal locomotion
Object grasping
Soft robotic arm

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

Cite this

Hong, L., Wang, J., Zhang, G., Sheng, Y., Zhang, F., & Guo, L. (2026). Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion. In T. Matsuno, L. Liu, Z. Yin, X. Zhu, W. Ren, Z. Wang, Y. Sheng, & H. Liu (Eds.), Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings (pp. 239-251). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 16074 LNCS). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

Hong, Lin ; Wang, Junjie ; Zhang, Gan et al. / Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion. Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings. editor / Takayuki Matsuno ; Lianqing Liu ; Zhouping Yin ; Xiangyang Zhu ; Weihong Ren ; Zhiyong Wang ; Yixuan Sheng ; Honghai Liu. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026. pp. 239-251 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science).

@inproceedings{f7da24fd06274619aca48b100dc4e0c9,

title = "Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion",

abstract = "Inspired by the remarkable grasping and locomotion capabilities of octopus arms, this paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a bio-inspired soft robotic arm capable of object grasping and bipedal locomotion in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. By integrating soft materials, pneumatic actuation, and control systems, the soft robotic arm replicates key biological features and functions of octopus arms, enabling object grasping and bipedal locomotion in amphibious environments. Experimental results show that the soft robotic arm can grasp objects with diameters ranging from 52 mm to 76 mm, supporting a maximum payload of 185 g in air and 524.5 g underwater. In addition, a pair of robotic arms enables effective underwater bipedal locomotion at 1.51 cm/s. These findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed design and highlight its potential for practical applications in amphibious environments.",

keywords = "Bio-inspired robot, Bipedal locomotion, Object grasping, Soft robotic arm",

author = "Lin Hong and Junjie Wang and Gan Zhang and Yixuan Sheng and Fumin Zhang and Lei Guo",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2026.; 18th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2025 ; Conference date: 06-08-2025 Through 09-08-2025",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4\_20",

language = "英语",

isbn = "9789819520947",

series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

pages = "239--251",

editor = "Takayuki Matsuno and Lianqing Liu and Zhouping Yin and Xiangyang Zhu and Weihong Ren and Zhiyong Wang and Yixuan Sheng and Honghai Liu",

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Hong, L, Wang, J, Zhang, G, Sheng, Y, Zhang, F & Guo, L 2026, Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion. in T Matsuno, L Liu, Z Yin, X Zhu, W Ren, Z Wang, Y Sheng & H Liu (eds), Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 16074 LNCS, Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, pp. 239-251, 18th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2025, Okayama, Japan, 6/08/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion. / Hong, Lin; Wang, Junjie; Zhang, Gan et al.
Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings. ed. / Takayuki Matsuno; Lianqing Liu; Zhouping Yin; Xiangyang Zhu; Weihong Ren; Zhiyong Wang; Yixuan Sheng; Honghai Liu. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2026. p. 239-251 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science; Vol. 16074 LNCS).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion

AU - Hong, Lin

AU - Wang, Junjie

AU - Zhang, Gan

AU - Sheng, Yixuan

AU - Zhang, Fumin

AU - Guo, Lei

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2026.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - Inspired by the remarkable grasping and locomotion capabilities of octopus arms, this paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a bio-inspired soft robotic arm capable of object grasping and bipedal locomotion in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. By integrating soft materials, pneumatic actuation, and control systems, the soft robotic arm replicates key biological features and functions of octopus arms, enabling object grasping and bipedal locomotion in amphibious environments. Experimental results show that the soft robotic arm can grasp objects with diameters ranging from 52 mm to 76 mm, supporting a maximum payload of 185 g in air and 524.5 g underwater. In addition, a pair of robotic arms enables effective underwater bipedal locomotion at 1.51 cm/s. These findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed design and highlight its potential for practical applications in amphibious environments.

AB - Inspired by the remarkable grasping and locomotion capabilities of octopus arms, this paper presents the design, fabrication, and experimental evaluation of a bio-inspired soft robotic arm capable of object grasping and bipedal locomotion in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. By integrating soft materials, pneumatic actuation, and control systems, the soft robotic arm replicates key biological features and functions of octopus arms, enabling object grasping and bipedal locomotion in amphibious environments. Experimental results show that the soft robotic arm can grasp objects with diameters ranging from 52 mm to 76 mm, supporting a maximum payload of 185 g in air and 524.5 g underwater. In addition, a pair of robotic arms enables effective underwater bipedal locomotion at 1.51 cm/s. These findings validate the effectiveness of the proposed design and highlight its potential for practical applications in amphibious environments.

KW - Bio-inspired robot

KW - Bipedal locomotion

KW - Object grasping

KW - Soft robotic arm

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105020851194

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

DO - 10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

M3 - 会议稿件

AN - SCOPUS:105020851194

SN - 9789819520947

T3 - Lecture Notes in Computer Science

SP - 239

EP - 251

BT - Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings

A2 - Matsuno, Takayuki

A2 - Liu, Lianqing

A2 - Yin, Zhouping

A2 - Zhu, Xiangyang

A2 - Ren, Weihong

A2 - Wang, Zhiyong

A2 - Sheng, Yixuan

A2 - Liu, Honghai

PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH

T2 - 18th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2025

Y2 - 6 August 2025 through 9 August 2025

ER -

Hong L, Wang J, Zhang G, Sheng Y, Zhang F, Guo L. Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion. In Matsuno T, Liu L, Yin Z, Zhu X, Ren W, Wang Z, Sheng Y, Liu H, editors, Intelligent Robotics and Applications - 18th International Conference, ICIRA 2025, Proceedings. Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. 2026. p. 239-251. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science). doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-2095-4_20

Bio-inspired Multifunctional Soft Robotic Arm for Object Manipulation and Self-Locomotion

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Keywords

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