Bionic Pneumatic-Driven Actuator for Underwater Sensing and Motion Control

Abstract Biological organisms exhibit remarkable capabilities to dynamically adjust their physiological states through autonomous neural perception and adaptive locomotion, offering profound inspiration for the development of intelligent bionic systems. Particularly, the locomotion mechanisms of aquatic species hold transformative potential for underwater exploration technologies. However, current technologies rely on centralized control architectures with slow response and weak predictive capabilities, restricting the creation of interactive platforms for the sensitive perception and recognition of the environment. Herein, we developed a biomimetic ultraelastic conductive film by encapsulating carbon nanotubes (CNTs) within a vulcanized natural latex (VNL) matrix, engineered to mimic the buoyancy regulation and mechanosensory functions of swim bladders while serving as a soft self-sensing actuator. The sandwich-structured film demonstrated exceptional deformation fidelity, enabling the precise detection of finger joint flexion with high angular resolution in both air and underwater environments through strain-responsive conductivity variations. Pressure-controlled vertical motion underwater with high positional accuracy was achieved by an autonomous trajectory correction via real-time environmental feedback. Notably, utilizing Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, we established a motion-tracking system for accurately detecting the actuator’s motion state, where actuator displacement generated quantifiable voltage signals. This synergistic integration of proprioceptive actuation and electromagnetic transduction significantly enhances the operational intelligence and functional versatility of soft robotics in marine applications, opening new avenues for ecological monitoring and adaptive underwater manipulation systems.