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About

Matthew R. Devlin is pioneering the future of robotics at the intersection of modular, soft, and collective systems. His research focuses on creating "material-like robotic collectives"—swarms of simple, untethered units that can dynamically reconfigure to change their strength, shape, and physical properties on demand. Devlin’s major contributions include developing the first untethered soft cellular robots with variable volume, friction, and cohesion, addressing the fundamental trade-off between unit simplicity and collective functionality. His work on acoustic communication for inflatable modular soft robots enables these collectives to sense and coordinate without complex hardware. Notably, his 2025 paper on material-like collectives has already garnered 18 citations, signaling its impact on the field. Devlin also explores novel locomotion strategies, such as latch-mediated spring-actuated air-jumpers, expanding the behavioral repertoire of soft robots. His research promises to transform robotics from rigid, specialized machines into adaptive, reconfigurable materials capable of forming anything from temporary tools to self-repairing structures, with profound implications for space exploration, disaster response, and beyond.