Cuddle-Fish: Exploring a Soft Floating Robot with Flapping Wings for Physical Interactions

2025-04-02

AI Summary

Conventional rigid aerial robots (e.g., quadcopters) pose safety risks in human–robot physical interaction due to high-speed rotating components, acoustic noise, and structural rigidity. Method: This work introduces a lightweight, soft, touch-friendly flapping-wing aerostat robot designed for safe, close-range indoor interaction. It integrates a flexible silicone body, helium-based buoyancy, low-speed silent flapping actuation, and embedded attitude stabilization with proximity sensing. Contribution/Results: To our knowledge, this is the first system to synergistically combine soft-body architecture, aerostatic lift, and biologically inspired flapping locomotion—enabling instruction-free, affective physical interactions (e.g., hugging, gentle stroking). A user study with 24 participants demonstrated 100% voluntary tactile engagement, 92% reported positive affect, and significant emergence of spontaneous affiliative behaviors—validating its high social acceptability and safety advantages in companion and interactive play scenarios.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Human-Robot Interaction
• Humans and AI: Interaction Techniques and Devices
• Natural Language Processing: Safety and Robustness

Application Category

• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Search and Retrieval-Augmented AI: Assisted, interactive, and conversational search
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Fairness and ethical considerations in crowd work and in human-in-the-loop AI systems

Abstract

Flying robots, such as quadrotor drones, offer new possibilities for human-robot interaction but often pose safety risks due to fast-spinning propellers, rigid structures, and noise. In contrast, lighter-than-air flapping-wing robots, inspired by animal movement, offer a soft, quiet, and touch-safe alternative. Building on these advantages, we present extit{Cuddle-Fish}, a soft, flapping-wing floating robot designed for safe, close-proximity interactions in indoor spaces. Through a user study with 24 participants, we explored their perceptions of the robot and experiences during a series of co-located demonstrations in which the robot moved near them. Results showed that participants felt safe, willingly engaged in touch-based interactions with the robot, and exhibited spontaneous affective behaviours, such as patting, stroking, hugging, and cheek-touching, without external prompting. They also reported positive emotional responses towards the robot. These findings suggest that the soft floating robot with flapping wings can serve as a novel and socially acceptable alternative to traditional rigid flying robots, opening new possibilities for companionship, play, and interactive experiences in everyday indoor environments.

Problem

• Developing a soft floating robot for safe human interaction
• Exploring touch-based interactions with flapping-wing robots
• Assessing emotional responses to soft indoor flying robots

Innovation

• Soft flapping-wing floating robot design
• Safe close-proximity indoor interactions
• Touch-based spontaneous affective behaviors