BactoBot: A Low-Cost, Bacteria-Inspired Soft Underwater Robot for Marine Exploration

2025-09-25

AI Summary

To address the ecological damage caused by rigid underwater vehicles to fragile marine ecosystems, this study proposes a low-cost soft-bodied underwater robot inspired by bacterial flagellar locomotion. The method employs a biomimetic helical flagellum propulsion mechanism integrated with a 12-arm redundant soft architecture and a 3D-printed dodecahedral rigid–soft hybrid frame, enabling omnidirectional maneuverability. All components—including actuators, structural elements, and electronics—are fabricated using food-grade silicone molding, off-the-shelf microcontrollers, and simplified waterproofing techniques, drastically lowering manufacturing complexity and cost. Experimental validation in a water tank demonstrates reliable forward propulsion and steering control, confirming the feasibility of replicating complex biological motion patterns at minimal expense. The design achieves a balanced trade-off among ecological safety, mechanical compliance, and system robustness, establishing a novel paradigm for sustainable exploration in resource-constrained and ecologically sensitive marine environments.

Technology Category

• Intelligent Robots: Motion and Path Planning
• Computer Vision: Low Level & Physics-based Vision
• Search and Optimization: Sampling/Simulation-based Search

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Energy management for devices in mobile Web and WoT environments
• Responsible Web: Machine-in-the-loop, human agency and autonomy
• Economics, Online Markets and Human Computation: Incentives in network design for Web infrastructures and ecosystems

Abstract

Traditional rigid underwater vehicles pose risks to delicate marine ecosystems. This paper presents BactoBot, a low-cost, soft underwater robot designed for safe and gentle marine exploration. Inspired by bacterial flagellar propulsion, BactoBot features 12 flexible, silicone-based arms arranged on a 3D-printed dodecahedral frame. The design provides inherent compliance, redundancy, and the potential for omnidirectional movement. The prototype was fabricated using accessible DIY methods, including food-grade silicone molding, 3D printing, and off-the-shelf microcontrollers. Waterproofing and buoyancy calibration protocols were developed, and the robot was successfully tested in a controlled water tank, demonstrating forward motion and turning. The results validate the feasibility of replicating complex biological locomotion at low cost. The project lays a foundation for environmentally conscious robotic tools, particularly for marine science in resource-constrained settings, and identifies pathways toward autonomous operation and field deployment.

Problem

• Developing low-cost soft robots for safe marine exploration
• Creating bacteria-inspired propulsion to protect delicate ecosystems
• Addressing limitations of traditional rigid underwater vehicles

Innovation

• Bacteria-inspired silicone arms on 3D-printed frame
• DIY fabrication with accessible low-cost components
• Inherent compliance and omnidirectional movement capability