Underwater Soft Peristaltic Swallowing Robot with Multimodal Perception

Underwater Soft Peristaltic Swallowing Robot with Multimodal Perception | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Underwater Soft Peristaltic Swallowing Robot with Multimodal Perception Dingsheng Cui, Raye Chen-hua Yeow, Francesco Giorgio-Serchi, Yanhe Zhu, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9363171/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract An underwater soft peristaltic swallowing robot with multimodal perception is presented. Moving beyond conventional pick-and-place (PnP) paradigm, we introduce a simultaneous pick-and-place (sPnP) framework that enables continuous object ingestion and transport without interrupting manipulator mobility. Fabricated as a tendon-driven, dual-segment soft continuum robot from compliant material, the proximal segment enables precise omnidirectional bending and axial extension, while the distal segment integrates eight independently controlled inward-contracting hydraulic actuators to realize rhythmic peristaltic transport. To support safe and adaptive operation in complex underwater environments, an embodied electrical impedance tomography (EIT) architecture is integrated directly into the mesh-structured body. This system simultaneously delivers real-time morphology self-perception (bending direction, bending angle, and axial length) and anomalous-object detection (internal/external conductors and insulators), achieving multimodal awareness of the robot’s own shape, external contacts, and the position of internal swallowed objects. Extensive underwater experiments demonstrate high-fidelity morphology tracking (maximum bending direction error 7.67%, maximum bending-angle error 2.6°, less than 1.1 mm axial length error), robust internal/external object localization even under bent configurations, and stable peristaltic swallowing with concurrent perception across multiple postures. These results establish a transformative paradigm for underwater soft robotics that unifies compliant manipulation, energy-efficient internal transport, and embodied multimodal perception, laying the foundation for future soft robotic systems with enhanced autonomy in unstructured marine environments. Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9363171","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":620028187,"identity":"5af1dad2-8a60-4b39-80e7-9e9813b6e757","order_by":0,"name":"Dingsheng Cui","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Macau","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dingsheng","middleName":"","lastName":"Cui","suffix":""},{"id":620028188,"identity":"cd620bc2-9e18-492c-910b-960fd62d626a","order_by":1,"name":"Raye Chen-hua Yeow","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"National University of 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Moving beyond conventional pick-and-place (PnP) paradigm, we introduce a simultaneous pick-and-place (sPnP) framework that enables continuous object ingestion and transport without interrupting manipulator mobility. Fabricated as a tendon-driven, dual-segment soft continuum robot from compliant material, the proximal segment enables precise omnidirectional bending and axial extension, while the distal segment integrates eight independently controlled inward-contracting hydraulic actuators to realize rhythmic peristaltic transport. To support safe and adaptive operation in complex underwater environments, an embodied electrical impedance tomography (EIT) architecture is integrated directly into the mesh-structured body. 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