This late-breaking result presents a distributed cascade force control for multi-robot object transportation using a unique 360-degree soft-tactile skin. Utilizing these tactile interactions, we enable safe, compliant pushing and local perception of contact forces and object motion. Each robot coordinates its actions through the object itself as a shared medium, without global observation or explicit communication. The inner-loop control maintains pushing contact, while the outer loop aligns the object’s motion in the desired direction and minimizes unwanted rotation. Lyapunov-based analysis ensures system stability, and both simulation and hardware experiments confirm convergence in object motion across various object shapes and robot configurations. This distributed control framework demonstrates the potential of soft-skin-enabled multi-robot systems for space construction and manipulation tasks, where environments are unstructured and both sensing and communication are constrained.

Evaluating the performance of soft robotic systems in analogue space environments presents significant challenges distinct from traditional rigid robots. Unlike rigid systems where components can be validated independently, the integrated nature of soft robots necessitates holistic testing methodologies to understand their behavior under combined environmental stressors. This paper addresses the development of such methodologies for soft robots intended for space applications, focusing on the effects of extreme temperatures and vacuum. We detail two experimental methodologies: LN2 immersion for cryogenic conditions and a thermal vacuum chamber for controlled temperature and vacuum. Scaled physical twins of a soft robotic manipulator are used in both setups, with a key design feature being the isolation of actuation and control components to enable focused evaluation of the soft structure itself. We describe the design choices behind the experimental setups, including considerations for achieving and monitoring temperature uniformity, and the challenges encountered in each approach. Results highlight the difficulties in maintaining consistent temperature throughout the soft structure, particularly at cryogenic temperatures. The methodologies provide insights into the behavior of soft robots under relevant space conditions, revealing the trade-offs between different testing techniques and informing future research on both design and robust testing strategies for soft robotics.

Exercise is a primary countermeasure used to reduce the negative health effects of microgravity that occur during spaceflight. To substitute the gravitational loading found on Earth, space exercise often relies on harnesses to produce loading however, they are often uncomfortable and are not easily adjustable, especially during exercise. As a step towards addressing these challenges, this paper explores 3D knit, pneumatically actuated straps, as a component in space exercise harnesses. We explore how engineered textile design affects anchoring performance of the straps, demonstrating the impact material choice has on strap inflation and anchoring force. This investigation lays the groundwork for future feedback-controlled systems that adjust based on harness anchoring data to enable new exercise and training routines in space, while maintaining harness comfort.

Planetary exploration is one of the key areas of space robotics, with many novel robots being proposed to optimize the exploration and data collection in planetary environments. However, as humans are deployed on other planets, there is always the need for safety and the potential chance of the need to facilitate an emergency search and rescue. This paper proposes a novel design for a soft quadruped robot for search-and-rescue applications on spatial terrain.

Tensegrities synergistically combine elements of tension (elastic cable) and compression (rigid, curved-link) elements to achieve structural integrity, providing a high strength-to-mass ratio, compliance, and packability among other benefits. In space environments, lighter alternatives capable of predictable movement in different gravities are necessary. The Redundant, Extrinsically-Actuated Continuum Handling (REACH) robot is comprised of 12 homogeneous tensegrity primitives connected in series. A single tensegrity primitive consists of two semi-circular curved links held together by a continuous, elastic cable that is pre-stressed into 12 segments. The REACH robot is cable-driven via four motor tendon actuators (MTA) fixed at the base of the robot this design provides balance between a reduction in control space (underactuation) while eliminating the need for counterweights. This unique design poses modeling and control challenges given (1) the entire manipulator is a closed chain, and (2) the MTA movement is non-linear, creating complex and sometimes unexpected behavior. A design framework that is tensegrity primitive invariant is shown, and the mechatronic system integration is laid out. In-line load cells display the non-linear movement resulting from preliminary tests of different input sequences.

This work introduces a novel hybrid soft-rigid spacecraft manipulator system (HSMS) integrating a tendon-driven continuum robot with a conventional satellite-mounted rigid manipulator. Building upon the Geometric Variable Strain (GVS) approach, the dynamic model of the HSMS is explicitly obtained as a set of minimal-order ordinary differential equations. Preliminary control design is conducted leveraging the obtained model, and a tracking maneuver is performed in simulation for the combined spacecraft-manipulator system. Numerical results are reported demonstrating the validity of the proposed approach and motivating further investigation in this problem.

Microspine grippers are small spines commonly found on insect legs that reinforce surface interaction by engaging with asperities to increase shear force and traction. An array of such microspines, when integrated into the limbs or undercarriage of a robot, can provide the ability to maneuver uneven terrains, traverse inclines, and even climb walls. Meanwhile, the conformability and adaptability of soft robots makes them ideal candidates for applications involving traversal of complex, unstructured terrains. However, there remains a real-life realization gap for soft locomotors pertaining to their transition from controlled lab environment to the field that can be bridged by improving grip stability through effective integration of microspines. In this research, a passive, compliant microspine stacked array design is proposed to enhance the locomotion capabilities of mobile soft robots. A microspine array integration method effectively addresses the stiffness mismatch between soft, compliant, and rigid components. Additionally, a reduction in complexity results from actuation of the surface-conformable soft limb using a single actuator. The two-row, stacked microspine array configuration offers improved gripping capabilities on steep and irregular surfaces. Experimental results demonstrate that the inclusion of microspine arrays increases planar displacement an average of 10 times with improved grip stability, repeatability, and terrain traversability.

Many animals exhibit agile mobility in obstructed environments by adjusting their bodies to negotiate and manipulate obstacles and apertures. Most mobile robots are rigid structures and avoid obstacles where possible. The ability of robots to traverse, rather than circumnavigate, obstacles would result in higher efficiency and could be necessary for mission success across a range of adaptive navigation scenarios, including environmental, industrial, and space applications. We introduce a bio-inspired deformable mobile robot coupled with a novel haptic and visual environment navigation architecture which enables agility and adaptability in obstructed environments through vision and proprioception sensor fusion. The algorithms enable the robot to be autonomously a) predictive by analysing visual feedback from the environment and preparing its body accordingly, b) reactive by responding to proprioceptive feedback, and c) active by manipulating obstacles and gap sizes using its deformable body. Our results highlight the importance of co-development of environment perception and physical reaction capabilities for improved performance of mobile robots in unstructured environments.

State estimation for soft continuum robots is challenging due to their infinite-dimensional states (poses, strains, velocities) resulting from continuous deformability, while conventional sensors provide only discrete data. A recent method, called a boundary observer, uses Cosserat rod theory to estimate all robot states by measuring only tip velocity. In this work, we propose a novel boundary observer that instead measures the internal wrench at the robot’s base, leveraging the duality between velocity and internal wrench. Both observers are inspired by energy dissipation, but the base-based approach offers a key advantage: it uses only a 6-axis force/torque sensor at the base, avoiding the need for external sensing systems. Combining tip- and base-based methods further enhances energy dissipation, speeds up convergence, and improves estimation accuracy. We validate the proposed algorithms in experiments where all boundary observers converge to the ground truth within 3 seconds, even with large initial deviations, and they recover from unknown disturbances while effectively tracking high-frequency vibrations.

Soft pneumatic robotic arms have recently emerged as promising alternatives to rigid manipulators due to their compliance, adaptability, and inherent safety. However, their deployment in space environments remains constrained by structural inflexibility, limited reconfigurability, and reliance on bulky external pneumatic sources. This work presents a lightweight, modular, and electronics-integrated soft robotic arm tailored for application scenarios that demand fault tolerance, adaptability, and robustness. The arm is composed of plug-and-play modules integrating 3D-printed Kresling origami actuators, proprioceptive sensing, and CAN-based communication, allowing dynamic adjustment of arm length and configuration to accommodate diverse operational scenarios. The embedded control architecture enables real-time trajectory tracking with an average relative error of 2.57\% under multi-module configurations. Its modularity, versatility and repeatability offer key advantages for resilient and reconfigurable operation in future long-duration space missions, demonstrating strong potential for space robotics applications, particularly in autonomous inspection, maintenance, and sample collection in uncertain or low-gravity environments.

This paper presents research on the design and development of an inflatable soft robotic arm system intended for capturing non-cooperative space debris. Drawing on concepts from ground-based inflatable actuator technologies, the project investigates how these principles might be adapted to the context of Active Debris Removal (ADR) missions. Design considerations, early fabrication, and preliminary testing are discussed. If successful, this approach could contribute to motor-free robotics in space, eliminating the need for radiation-hardened motors and complex electronics, offering a transformative step toward simpler, scalable systems. This work combines simulation and physical prototyping to begin assessing the feasibility and performance of inflatable soft robotic arms in orbital scenarios, with the aim of informing the development of future prototypes for active debris removal.

Abstract – An emerging application of microfluidic or pneumatic logic systems in soft robotics is the access to multiple tethered pneumatic elements through a reduced number of pneumatic lines. At the full paper “Pneumatic Logic Systems for Selectively Operating Distributed Pneumatic Elements” presented simultaneously at ICRA2025, we demonstrated two pneumatic logic systems capable of selecting a set of pneumatic elements in a distributed network and operating all the elements of the set simultaneously and independently through the available pneumatic lines. At this complementary work we summarize the working principles and propose alternative valves, improved activation processes and two additional circuit designs: A long linear network with shorter selection sequences and a non-hierarchical network triggered by structured selection sequences. Index Terms – Microfluidics, pneumatic demultiplexer, pneumatic logic, soft robotics.

This paper presents a conceptual design for a soft and inflated modular Lunar Robotic Rescue System. The proposed system consists of four compact, lightweight, self-balancing robotic platforms capable of autonomously or manually transporting an injured astronaut over lunar terrain. Each unit is under 5.5 kg and integrates inflatable wheels, high-efficiency motors, telescopic CFRP frames, and energy-efficient battery systems. The report details calculations of lunar weight, energy consumption across terrain types, power requirements, and structural analysis. Additional design considerations include system redundancy, rapid deployment, and compatibility with lunar environmental constraints such as dust, vacuum, and thermal extremes. The study evaluates material and battery choices for space suitability and emphasizes modularity, low mass, and operational reliability for enhanced lunar safety.