[Nature Communications] Snail-inspired robotic swarms

Authors: Da Zhao, Haobo Luo, Yuxiao Tu, Chongxi Meng, Tin Lun Lam Corresponding author: Tin Lun Lam (Email: tllam@; Website: ​) Published in: Nature Communications Paper: Freeform Robotics: Title: Snail-inspired robotic swarms: a hybrid connector drives collective adaptation in unstructured outdoor environments Abstract: Terrestrial self-reconfigurable robot swarms offer adaptable solutions for various tasks. However, most existing swarms are limited to controlled indoor settings, and often compromise stability due to their freeform connections. To address these issues, we present a snail robotic swarm system inspired by land snails, tailored for unstructured environments. Our system also employs a two-mode connection mechanism, drawing from the adhesive capabilities of land snails. The free mode, mirroring a snail’s natural locomotion, lev