A novel approach to non-electronic control in soft robotics

While most soft robots rely on electronic components, there are settings where electronics are vulnerable or unsuitable—for instance, radioactive environments cause electronics to degrade rapidly, oil rigs demand spark-free systems, MRI machines can turn electronics into projectiles, and physical impacts can easily damage electronic circuits. In such environments, using fluid flow instead of electron flow to compute and store information presents a viable, non-electronic solution for controlling soft robots.

Assistant Professor Markus Nemitz and lead author Savita Kendre, PhD student, along with other members of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, recently published research on macrofluidic transistors that can be 3D printed with standard desktop fused deposition modeling (FDM) printers and configured as logic gates and memory elements in Advanced Intelligent Systems. Their approach prioritizes simplicity and affordability, with the goal of making fluidic control elements accessible to a wider audience.

Kendre’s fluidic transistor employs a flexing beam mechanism, functioning similarly to a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) equivalent in fluidic form. These transistors can be stacked to achieve complex functions. Demonstrations include controlling a worm-like robot, operating a stepper motor, and switching a fluidic display—all powered by fluidic signals with a single pressure supply, eliminating the need for electronics.

“Existing designs are often difficult to replicate due to complex structures, or they are expensive and time-consuming to manufacture. Our design utilizes flexing beams as compliant mechanisms, known for simplicity and reliability due to minimal moving parts. Our research group adheres to a 'design for simplicity' approach," Nemitz explains. "We focus heavily on finding the simplest solution to complex problems, and when it appears, it is unmistakable.”

The research team includes PhD students Savita Kendre and Cem Aygül, undergraduates C.S. Page and L. Wang, alongside Assistant Professor Nemitz, who joined Tufts in 2024 from WPI and leads the Nemitz Robotics Group. His research centers on swarm engineering and scalable robotic systems, pushing the boundaries of low-cost intelligence and fully automated manufacturing. Nemitz envisions large robot swarms deployed in humanitarian crises, with designs rapidly adapted and mass-produced for specific missions.

Learn more about Assistant Professor Markus Nemitz.