Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Electro-mechanical Systems01:19

Electro-mechanical Systems

1.0K
Electromechanical systems are intricate configurations that effectively combine electrical and mechanical elements to achieve a desired outcome. Central to many of these systems is the DC motor, a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical motion, enabling various applications ranging from simple fans to complex robotic mechanisms.
A key component of the DC motor is the armature, a rotating circuit positioned within a magnetic field. As an electric current passes through the...
1.0K
Open and closed-loop control systems01:17

Open and closed-loop control systems

824
Control systems are foundational elements in automation and engineering. They are broadly categorized into open-loop and closed-loop systems. These classifications hinge on the presence or absence of feedback mechanisms, significantly influencing the system's performance, complexity, and application.
An open-loop control system operates without feedback from the output. It consists of two primary elements: the controller and the controlled process. The controller receives an input signal...
824
Distributed Loads: Problem Solving01:21

Distributed Loads: Problem Solving

678
Beams are structural elements commonly employed in engineering applications requiring different load-carrying capacities. The first step in analyzing a beam under a distributed load is to simplify the problem by dividing the load into smaller regions, which allows one to consider each region separately and calculate the magnitude of the equivalent resultant load acting on each portion of the beam. The magnitude of the equivalent resultant load for each region can be determined by calculating...
678
Control Systems: Applications01:25

Control Systems: Applications

663
Electrical engineering plays a pivotal role in our daily lives, with control systems at the heart of many applications, from home appliances to sophisticated space shuttles. Control systems manage and regulate the behavior of devices and processes, ensuring they function safely, correctly, and efficiently.
In modern vehicles, control systems manage various functions to enhance performance and safety. The steering wheel and accelerator are primary inputs in a car's control system. The...
663
PD Controller: Design01:26

PD Controller: Design

291
In automotive engineering, car suspension systems often employ Proportional Derivative (PD) controllers to enhance performance. PD controllers are utilized to adjust the damping force in response to road conditions. A controller, acting as an amplifier with a constant gain, demonstrates proportional control, with output directly mirroring input.
Designing a continuous-data controller requires selecting and linking components like adders and integrators, which are fundamental in Proportional,...
291
Hierarchy of Motor Control01:18

Hierarchy of Motor Control

2.9K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
2.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Physically intelligent capsule robots with embodied memory and logic in the gastrointestinal tract.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Non-Newtonian Binary Cu Nanocrystal-Microcrystal Colloidal Inks for Printable Nanoscale-Soldered Conductors and RF Electronics.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
Same author

Inertia-driven amphibious robot with asymmetric microundulatory fin arrays.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Bioinspired cross-medium wall-climbing robot with high-performance adhesion and contact adaptability.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Pneumatically controlled lattices with tunable mechanical behavior.

Communications engineering·2025
Same author

Dynamics and design of passive tails for enhanced stability of motion.

Bioinspiration & biomimetics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 24, 2025

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy
11:53

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy

Published on: October 14, 2017

11.7K

A modular strategy for distributed, embodied control of electronics-free soft robots.

Qiguang He1, Rui Yin1, Yucong Hua1

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Science Advances
|July 7, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed an electronics-free method for soft robot control using responsive materials. This approach enables autonomous sensing and adaptive trajectory changes in response to environmental stimuli.

More Related Videos

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot
07:40

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

Published on: June 10, 2020

14.0K
Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes
08:24

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Published on: February 28, 2020

8.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 24, 2025

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy
11:53

The Modular Design and Production of an Intelligent Robot Based on a Closed-Loop Control Strategy

Published on: October 14, 2017

11.7K
Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot
07:40

Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot

Published on: June 10, 2020

14.0K
Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes
08:24

Bioinspired Soft Robot with Incorporated Microelectrodes

Published on: February 28, 2020

8.8K

Area of Science:

  • Robotics
  • Materials Science
  • Biomimetic Engineering

Background:

  • Traditional robots rely on bulky electronic sensors, microcontrollers, and actuators for environmental interaction.
  • Developing autonomous sensing and control is crucial for next-generation soft robots.
  • Existing methods often struggle with the complexity and bulk of electronic components in soft robotic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present an innovative electronics-free approach for autonomous control in soft robots.
  • To demonstrate how a robot's physical composition can embody its sensing, control, and actuation feedback loop.
  • To enable soft robots to autonomously sense and respond to environmental stimuli without external electronics.

Main Methods:

  • Designed modular control units utilizing responsive materials, specifically liquid crystal elastomers.
  • Integrated these modules into soft robot bodies to create an embodied control system.
  • Enabled modules to sense external stimuli such as light, heat, and solvents.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated autonomous changes in robot trajectory based on environmental stimuli.
  • Showcased the ability to combine multiple control modules for complex, logic-based responses.
  • Achieved autonomous decision-making requiring multiple environmental events before action.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed framework offers a novel strategy for embodied control in soft robots.
  • This electronics-free approach facilitates autonomous operation in uncertain and dynamic environments.
  • The system provides a pathway toward more adaptable and self-sufficient soft robotic platforms.