Bioinspired Amphibious Soft Robotics with Conformable Ultrasonic Array for Adaptive Defect Mapping and Terrain Reconstruction

Abstract

Abstract Inspection of confined, unstructured, and submerged environments (e.g., pipelines, ship hulls, and flooded infrastructure) remains a persistent challenge due to the limited adaptability of conventional rigid robots and sensing systems. Here, a bioinspired amphibious ultrasonic soft robot (AUS‐R) is presented that integrates distributed conformable ultrasonic arrays with a fully soft, gas‐driven locomotion system to achieve adaptive defect mapping and 3D terrain reconstruction in both terrestrial and aquatic settings. The AUS‐R features a central array for forward‐looking defect imaging and terrain echolocation, and peripheral tentacle arrays for boundary sensing and lateral defect detection, enabling real‐time full‐space environmental perception. Its waterproof and miniaturized design supports seamless navigation through narrow spaces and ensures functional integrity across air‐water interfaces. Experimental demonstrations on object‐level defects and submerged terrains validate the systems multifunctionality and robustness. This work establishes AUS‐R as a versatile platform for non‐destructive testing, infrastructure inspection, and autonomous environmental monitoring, laying the groundwork for intelligent, all‐scenario robotic sensing systems.